Inconsistent Misfortune
by IGotTheWanderingMind
Summary: There's a new shapeshifter coming to Beacon Hills, one they've never encountered before, Skinwalkers. But between their own dramas, family trouble, and the death of a loved one, this isn't going to be easy sailing for the Hale pack. It's going to be the opposite, as they juggle the supernatural and try have personal lives. Set post S2. Stiles/OC (Jessie Hale) Derek/OC (Ash McCall)
1. Introduction

**This fic is set 6 months after season 1. Season 2 has taken place but Boyd and Erica are gone, they got out of Beacon Hills to find a new pack. There also won't be any Cora either, but for the first time I'm going to use my OC Jessie Hale as well as my OC Ash McCall. Both OCs are human.**

 **This doesn't follow the show from this point on. I'm using skinwalkers as my 'big bad'. If you don't know what they are, watch episode 6x08 of Supernatural or just do a quick google search of 'Supernatural skinwalker'. Basically, they're a kind of shapeshifter that pose as family dogs but are vicious, you'll understand as you read on.**

 **Just a head's up, this fic will focus alot on family and personal issues, relationships and hurt and comfort more than school or the supernatural. But it will still follow a skinwalker story line. Also, you may notice parts of tv shows and movies used as scenes in here as well. I haven't been well at all lately so I've been off work and I've been watching** _ **alot**_ **of Netflix and Putlocker so, blame them :P No don't, but you will probably notice some familiar lines or small plots within this :)**

 **Warning for course language now and again.**

 **Enjoy! Favourite! Follow! And please, review, I love to know what you think!**

 ***Inconsistent Misfortune, coming at 'cha!***

 **..**

Ash doesn't remember too much about her childhood. It's all sort of a messy blur.

She remembers the stench of bourbon and old cigarettes, occansionally the odd odour of weed, coming from her father.

She remembers getting woken up at 4 o'clock in the morning to pick her Dad up from the drunk tank, more than once.

She remember slowly becoming the parent of the family, taking that responsibility on at the young age of 13, maybe early 14.

She remembers how hard it was every time their father split, left them all behind like they meant nothing to him.

She remembers the struggles she faced with her Daddy being a massive drunk when he was around, and him being completely unsupportive both emotionally and physically, and especially financially.

She remembers it as a mess, nothing's crystal clear. Nothing but her family, they way they've stuck together through all of that, and all the things still to come. There's not many good moments with them all being happy and healthy and all together. Their childhood was..nasty. But Ash has always done everything she could to hold their little family together.

..

 _2 years ago_

Derek was actually there. The walls of his now charred childhood home, that he still dwells in, felt like they were screaming at him. He needed to get out of the house. He just had too, before it all got too much and he let those same very walls feel his frustration. Like the house wasn't crumbling enough already.

He sits there, in a private booth, alone. His only company is the half-empty beer in front of him, the same one he's had in front of him for an hour. He's never really wished to be human, but right now? He wishes he could feel _something_ from the alcoholic beverage, something just to dull the noise of brooding and over-thinking that's yelling at him from inside his head. It's just been one of those days.

His eyes shoot up when a voice cuts through the mild chit-chat and giggles of drunk woman at the bar.

"As some of you know, I've been away at college." Ash says into the mic, making small talk as her Friday night band get ready to play. She chooses not to tell them why she's suddenly cut her study short after only 6 months, that's her and her family's dirty laundry, that she keeps to herself.

Some of the regulars, the ones that have missed the girl for the past months she hasn't been performing, they clap and cheer, genuinely happy to see her again. Ash smiles shyly in their direction, she still gets a little nervous when she performs even though she's been doing this for extra cash since she bounced out of school. And now her family need that money more than ever, not that her mother would ever ask for it. But Ash knows, so that's where her money's going to go.

"But I'm back now." She says. She looks over at her band members and they nod, ready to go. "This one's for my beautiful mother, and adorable little brother. There they are." She says with a proud smile as she points out Melissa with a small baby bump and a 14 year old Scott. Stiles and John Stilinski also sit with the two McCalls, their two family's being very close for a long time.

Derek's eyes drift to the two and he can tell they're very proud of their sister and daughter. He can see that same pride on the two males with them. His bottle comes to his lips but he barely registers the alcohol that crawls down his throat as he drinks it. He looks down at it, dragging his index finger around the rim of the bottle.

The guitarist starts first, playing away gently.

" _Yeah, you've been alone_." Ash sings. Derek's eyes go back up to the girl. " _I've been gone for far too long. But with all that we've been through, after all this time I'm coming home to you_."

Ash stops for a moment, letting the guitarist keep playing. There's another guy with a guitar and another sitting at the drums. The drummer is yet to play but the other guitarist comes in with a few plucks on an electric guitar.

" _Never let it show. The pain I've grown to know. 'Cause with all these things we do, after all this time I'm coming home to you_." She comes back in. " _I reach towards the sky, I've said my goodbyes. My heart's always with you now_." She sings softly. " _I won't question why so many have died. My prayers have made it through, yeah. 'Cause with all these things we do, after all this time I'm coming home to_ -" Scott smiles because he knows this song and enjoys seeing his big sister perform.

" _-you! Yeah, ohh_!" Ash's voice explodes and comes out much louder but strong vocally, her eyes shutting as the lyric's emotion soak into her . Derek's eyes widen in the slightest. He can admit, he was surprised to hear that kind of strength come out of the small girl. " _Letters keep me warm! Helped me through the storm! But with all that we've been through, after all this time I'm coming home to you_." The crowd roars with applause and cheers.

" _I reach towards the sky, I've said my goodbyes. My heart always with you now. I won't question why so many have died. My prayers have made it through, yeah. 'Cause with all these things we do, after all this time I'm coming home to you_." The beat changes slightly, the drumming shining through more.

" _I've always been true. I've waited so long just to come hold you_!" Her voice wavers as it does it the original song. " _I'm making it through, It's been far too long, we've proven our love over time's so strong, in all that we do. The stars in night, they lend me their light, to bring me closer to heaven to you_!" The lead guitarist steps up beside her and takes it into his solo, his fingers working away with raw talent, the whine of the guitar appreciated by every person in the room. Ash and him look at each other with big smiles.

" _But with all that we've been through, after all this time I'm coming home to you_." Ash comes back in. The drums ease back in and by now, any nerves Ash had are long gone. And the looks on her family's face are just pride and admiration. And Derek's still just watching and listening, intrigued. He's barely stepped foot in the bar, and he's never been to a concert so live performances isn't something he's used too. And especially not a female singing a Avenged Sevenfold song either. " _I reach towards the sky, I've said my goodbyes. My heart's always with you now. I won't question why so many have died. My prayers have made it through, yeah. 'Cause with all these things we do, after all this time I'm coming home to you. And with all that we've been through, after all this time I'm coming home to you_." They finish, fading out and the crowd cheer and clap most of them standing up. Ash covers her mouth with her hands, still not able to believe it went so well, that they loved them.

She gets down off the stage, going over to hug her mother who has tears in her eyes because she's missed her daughter so much. And to see her perform again, it's heart-warming. And maybe it's a little bit of pregnancy hormones too.

Like I said before, Ash has always done everything she could to hold their little family together.

She dropped out of high school at 16, to help her mother with Scott and the bills after her father went on another bender then disappeared for awhile. Ash wishes she could say this was the first time, but it was just another to add to the already long list.

Later on, at 18, when her father was back around reguarly, she managed to wrangle her way into college. She aced the entry test, and even though she didn't have the pre-requisites to get in, they turned a blind eye to it because of her outstanding test scores. Melissa was even prouder than she already was of her daughter.

Then 6 months later, when things are finally going good, when things are _finally_ working out for the girl, everything goes downhill again, like clockwork, like it was some kind of countdown to another storm. Ash catches her boyfriend of 4 months bedding her roommate. The boyfriend she thought she might be falling for. The roommate she thought she was starting to get close with. The two people she thought she could _trust_ , as if that wasn't a hard enough thing for her to hand out anyway. That all hurt.

Then 3 days later, when she's on the phone to her mother, when she's crying and Melissa's trying to comfort her, Ash finds out that her father has taken off again. And that hurt even more, just added to the pain already chopping away at her from the inside out. Things weren't just going downhill for her, they were shooting in a straight line down to the depths of hell.

Ash immediantly quit college after that phone call, much to her teacher's displeasure as they didn't want her smarts wasted, and she moved back home to look after her 2 months pregnant mother and her 14 year old brother.

Ash picked up any work that she could to help pay the bills and the morgage, the rent, the coming baby's things, everything. Because of her track record, some jobs she was declined, but then the recommendations she managed to squeeze out of her teacher's at college got her some jobs too.

Her day's very quickly started to blur together as she sped between band gigs, work at the local garage, early shifts at the cafe in the heart of the town and then late night shifts making cocktails at the dive bar by the water front. Around 80% of any money she made went towards keeping the house going, keeping her family going. That little bit on the side, that paid for anything Ash wanted for herself, most of it actually went into a savings account, as back up in case her family needed it. Melissa always told her she didn't need it, but Ash knew she did. With their father gone, and any money he would actually give them gone too, they were barely hanging on by a thread. Melissa was getting to the stage where she had to work less, take stress off the baby, then eventually she had to stop working all together. That's when a hell of alot more responsibility fell to Ash's shoulders. But she took it on in stride, tried her best not to complain or moan. She just wanted to help. And she did. Melissa is thankful every day for her daughter's kind heart, because without it, the McCall family would have fallen apart emotionally and financially, been crushed under the weight of their shared pain and outstanding bills.

Melissa feels very indebted to her daughter, but Ash would never lay that down as a burden or use it as an excuse. It feels good for Ash to help, to take some of the weight off her pregnant single-mother's shoulders. Ash figures it's the least she could do after Melissa raised her and her brother while having the same problems with the gone and then back again drunk known as her husband. It wasn't until Melissa finally had enough and filed that divorce did she realise how much time she wasted with that man. How much of her life and her children's lives her wasted on him. She should have left Rafael a long time ago.

But it gave her three beautiful kids and she wouldn't change that for anything. She loves her boy and her two girls, more than _anything_.

..

..

 **A little introduction into their lives as to how they were before everything supernatural got involved :) Favourite, follow and review!**


	2. Temper Tendancies

**Wow! Thanks to my readers for all the favourites and follows!**

 **And shout out to:**

 ***Tesla424-Yay! You found my new fic! I'm really glad you like it so far :) By two girls, I meant Ash and they have a little sister, a baby sister, called Jade who you'll get to learn more about :) I hope you continue to enjoy!**

 ***Serena Sterling-Yay, you found my new fic too! I love having loyal readers :) Oh, no, the McCall and Stilinski families are just really close, Melissa and John are just friends, sorry to confuse you. In the end part I was talking about how Melissa wasted so much time being married to Rafael McCall (Scott's real Dad off the show). Ash is 20 years old and I'm thinking Derek's closer to 23-24. And thanks :)**

 **Read and review my lovelies :)**

 **..**

"Maybe we should head back, Jade's completely out." Melissa says as she holds her 1 and a half year old daughter is her arms, the toddler fast asleep.

"Okay." Ash nods. "Come on." She says, heading out of the store. Her and her mother spent the day out, while Ash has a day off of work and Melissa does too. Melissa's went back to working at the hospital after Jade turned 1, and Ash is still working but nowhere near as much as she was before. Melissa doesn't need the financial help she needed before, and Ash is no longer living with her mother and siblings, she has her own place.

Ash falls back a little, taking her packet of Malboro Reds out of her handbag. She holds the cigarette between her lips and brings her zippo out, lighting it. The wind's in her favour so no smoke will interfer with the air her little sister's breathing in her peaceful unconciousness. Ash isn't stupid, she knows smoking is a dirty habit, but it's one she's picked up. It started at 16, when her father started running out on them more and more often and Ash was so stressed as she tried to help her family. It was all too much for her, she couldn't handle it, she needed an out. And that steady flow of toxic tobacco smoke was it.

Derek had to get out of the loft, he had to get away from Peter. A small, _tiny_ , part of him feels so incredibly guilty for killing his Uncle. But after what he did to Laura, to his big sister, to the person he looked up too, he had too. That night still haunts him, the night he sliced open his Uncle's neck and splashed his blood across the leaves. Just like the night of the fire still haunts him and Jessie. Peter has managed to slip his way back into Derek's life, the pack he's created now being the alpha. Derek isn't that happy about it, but Peter is his family, and he is the most experienced person he has to go too, so Derek doesn't have much of a choice. But Peter is a manipulative, narcissistic asshole, and Derek can only handle so much of him.

As if some odd coincidence, Derek and Ash pass each other on that sidewalk. Melissa's eyes shoot up from Jade to look between the two adults, waiting for them to say 'Hello' or at least look at each other. But they blatently ignore each other, in every way possible, Melissa swears they even create more distance between each other on purpose.

"Jesus Christ, Ash, are you two really _still_ not talking?" Melissa asks her daughter. Derek's still within earshot and can hear but he already knows the answer.

"Talking? I want to hurt him." Ash says, glancing at her mother and then at the sidewalk again. "He tried to _kill_ Scott." Ash says.

"Scott already told you, he wasn't going to kill him. And trust me, I'm not that happy with him either but he and Scott are okay now, they're pack. You're going to be a part of that." Melissa says. Ash shakes her head. "Whether you want to be or not, you will be, because Scott is." She says. Ash doesn't say anything and neither does Melissa, they just keep walking towards where Ash has parked the car. Because they both know that what Melissa just said is true. Obviously, Ash is very protective of her brother and family, she will go anywhere with Scott to make sure he's safe. And right now, that's leading further and further into Derek's pack.

..

Barely anything is said between the two McCall woman as they drive towards Melissa's house. Ash is still frustrated with the truth her mother spilled earlier. Ash knows there's going to be a time where her and Derek, and even Peter, are going to _have_ to play nice, for Scott and the rest of the pack's sake. But, that time is not now. She can't just excuse the things that have happened. How far Derek took being an alpha, to the point where he was willing to hurt Scott. And Peter..don't even get her started. Killing his own neice, turning Scott in the first place, trying to kill _all_ of them. There's no excuse. And now Peter's living and breathing again? Ash doesn't think she can just look past that. Maybe one day, her and Derek can get over whatever 'beef' they have, but Ash doesn't think she can ever make ammends with Peter.

Ash pulls into the driveway, cutting the ignition and pulling up the handbrake. Melissa gets out, Melissa going into the back to get Jade out of her carseat.

"Come inside for a coffee." Melissa says, peeking back into the car at her eldest child. She can see the troubled look of Ash's face as she over-thinks. "Come on, Ash." She says. Ash nods and gets out of the car too.

Ash opens the door for her mother as Melissa holds a still sleeping Jade in her arms.

"I'll just put her down, then we'll sit down." Melissa says, heading for Jade's room, Ash's old room.

"Can I?" Ash asks, looking at Jade. Melissa smiles and nods. She walks back over to Ash and carefully passes Jade to her. Ash takes the small weight into her arms easily and gently. She starts walking, quietly, towards her old room. Jade stirs a little, her eyes opening and blinking, but she doesn't make a sound. "Shhh, go back to sleep." Ash whispers, touching Jade's cheek lightly. The girl's eyes close again as Ash walks over to her crib. She lowers her little sister into the crib and tucks her in.

Melissa watches from down the hall, leaning againist the doorway. She watches as Ash leans over onto her tip-toes and softly kisses Jade's head, so softly, like she's scared of hurting her or doing anything to harm her. And she is. It's why she doesn't smoke with Jade around, not unless she knows the toddler isn't going to choke on the smoke, like today. Ash is terrified of hurting her, her biggest fear is hurting her family, putting them through what their father did. She never wants to hurt them. The only person she hates more than Peter, is her own father.

"Ash?" Scott says, walking down the stairs after having smelt his mother and another familiar scent.

"Shhh, she's sleeping." Ash whispers, putting her finger to her lips. She brushes Jade's hair out of her face before leaving, pulling the door just too. She walks over to where her brother's walked over to their mother.

"Sit down with us." Melissa says to Scott. Scott nods and sits down at the dining room table with Ash. He gives Ash a greeting smile and she gives him one back.

"How's school? I feel like I haven't been around alot lately." Ash asks Scott.

"No, it's okay, we get it. You work alot, it's not your fault." Scott says. Melissa nods in agreement from where she's taking 3 mugs from the cupboard, waiting for the kettle to boil. "And school's good, my grades are starting to bump up." Scott tells her.

"That's really good." Ash smiles proudly.

"How are you? How's work?" Scott asks her.

"Same old, same old. Busy, but busy is good." Ash says. Scott nods. Melissa puts a steaming mug in front of the both of them. "Thanks." Ash smiles at her, wrapping her hands around it for warmth. Black coffee, no sugar, just how she likes it.

"Thank you." Scott says, looking at his Mom. Hot chocolate, just like he likes. Because Melissa knows her children well. "Allison said she came to see you at the garage."

"She did?" Ash asks.

"Well..she wanted to bring you her car, but you weren't in." Scott says.

"Oh." Ash says. She sips from her mug before placing it back down on the table. "Are you still seeing her?" Ash asks him. Scott swallows before answering. He looks down and shakes his head.

"No." He says. "No, not anymore. And probably not again." He says with a sigh, knowing that's for the best, especially after what happened with her mother and with Gerard. Both McCall woman simultaniously place their hands on his arms, to show comfort. Scott looks up, looking between them both with a soft smile, he's grateful to have such an understanding mother and supportive sister, especially since his Dad's been gone for 2 years now.

Ash takes another drink from her coffee. She pauses, her features deepening into a frown when she spots a letter in the pile of mail in the middle of the table. She puts her mug down and reaches out for it.

"What's wrong?" Melissa asks, seeing that frown on her daughter's face again. Ash looks down at the letter, looking at who it's addressed too.

"Why is his mail still getting sent here?" Ash asks, not having to explain who. They all know who.

"There's a few places he never contacted and changed his address with." Melissa says. "I'll get rid of it." She says, taking it from Ash's hand. Melissa puts it face down on the table, under her arm. Because, truth is, she will get rid of it, but she's not throwing it away.

Ash looks at the clock ticking away on the kitchen wall.

"Shit, I'm gonna be late for the bar shift." She says, shooting out of her chair and going to the sink, washing her cup out. "Thanks for today, I'll see you both later." She says, kissing both of their heads before heading for the door.

"Ash, hold on." Melissa says, going after her. Ash stops by her car, turning to face her mother. "About what happened today with Derek, I think you should be the bigger person, talk to him-"

"I have to go." Ash stops her. Scott listens in, hearing Melissa mention Derek, who's technically his alpha now.

"You know you're going to have to work past whatever's happened. That's in the past now. No, I don't want him or Peter near either of you, but we both know that can't be reality, not in the world you two now live in." Melissa says. "Just talk to him, make him understand the problem you have with him and how he is with Scott." She suggests.

From inside, Scott sighs. He knows his sister's having a tough time looking past what's happened the last year. He gets it though, she's been the other parent to him and their little sister for a long time, she's wickedly protective of her family. But, that rivalry's going to start causing problems for the Hale pack very soon.

"I don't have to tell him, he knows what I'll do if he hurts Scott again, or Stiles." Ash says. She knows Derek's seen her, the way she'll fight for Scott and her family, the way she fought off Peter with only a knife. She's small, but she is not to be underestimated. If you do, that's just your stupid mistake.

"Ash..you can't protect everyone." Melissa says.

"You're wrong, I can. I have too." She says, getting into her car. Melissa watches Ash drive away. She sighs, wishing her daughter wouldn't hold grudges as badly as she does. But she knows it's all manifested from childhood problems. That lack of trust in people, unless they've honestly earnt it, that protectiveness, the fierceness, it's all from how she's been raised and the kind of up-bringing their father forced them all into, and of course the abandonment issues she has after having her father walk away so many times.

But, those things aren't just bad things. They can be good too. They're what get her up in the morning, they're the reason she won't let herself die, they're the reason she's as strong inside and out as she is. Melissa can admire those things, she just hopes her daughter's tendancy to give in to her temper doesn't overwhelm the big heart that she does have under all of that.

..

..

 **So, already, there's problems between Ash and the Hales. But, it will change! Just not yet. C'mon, there has to be a** _ **little**_ **tension :P Favourite, follow and review!**


	3. Snappish Salutations

**Shout out to:**

 ***Serena Sterling-Yes, she definitely is! Cool :) Thanks!**

 ***AlphaWolf19-Hello again! Hey, it's okay, I understand :) I'm glad you're looking forward to future chapters! They won't get along for quite a few chapters, heh :P Okay, GOF-Take Two is finished but I was going to write a really long chapter of the pack in the future, just for fun, but the main story is finished :)**

 **..**

 _A few days later_

Ash bites at her thumbnail with a furrowed brow as she uses her laptop to search for any signs of Erica and Boyd. She sighs, a big '(0) No Results Found' looking back at her. She hacked every public database she could think of; train bookings, bus cameras, hotels, motels, the works.

After what happened with Gerard kidnapping the two wayward teenagers, Erica and Boyd left, wanting to find another pack. It didn't just effect Derek, it effected them all. Ash might not have been that close with them but she was hoping to find something, just to know where abouts they were and if they were safe. But, nothing. They're staying off the radar, which is smart, but it's worrying her.

"Anything?" Stiles asks, him and Scott looking up from their homework to look at Ash. She looks tired and stressed, work and worry for her family, the usual for her, dressed in an over-sized hoodie, black jeans and her hair's thrown into a very messy bun. The two boys came over to Ash's place to study, spend some time with her since they've all been busy and it feels like they haven't seen enough of each other.

Ash shakes her head, slamming her laptop shut because she's frustrated and maybe even a little disappointed.

"I'm sure they're okay." Scott says, trying to make his older sister feel a little better. But Ash just stands up, walking out onto their small private balcony off of the living room area. She sighs, digging into her back pocket for her Malboros. She brings the packet out, taking a single cigarette from it. She digs through her hoodie pocket, finding her favourite red leather zippo lighter. She ignites the flame, bringing it to the tip of her cigarette, lighting it. She flicks the top back on her lighter, putting it back into her pocket. She inhales smoke and when she blows it out, it comes out like another sigh. She rubs her forehead with her thumb and forefinger, hoping to rub away the anxiety she's feeling.

From inside, Scott looks at Stiles with a concerned frown then stands up. He walks outside the loft's balcony doors, going to stand beside his sister.

"You shouldn't worry, they can protect themselves, they're strong." Scott says to her. Ash lets out a dry laugh.

"They're kids." She says, turning her head to look at him. "I would never let _you_ go off like that."

"You're not their big sister, Ash. You're not their mother, you're not responsible for them." He says. He's trying to help comfort her, but it's hard when the 20 year old seems to think she's responsible for everyone, that she has to make sure everyone else is okay before herself. She's got a big heart under that sharp attitude of her's, but that big heart is sometimes her Achilles heel too. Like right now. She's too worried, she looks as though she hasn't slept much either because of it.

"Well, someone's gotta be." Ash says, looking away from her brother and out over the town again.

"Yeah, their alpha." Scott says. Ash doesn't exactly scoff, but a similar sound does leave her mouth at the mention of Derek being the one responsible for the two teenagers. That ran off. On _his_ watch.

"And he's the one that let them walk away." She says, bringing the cigarette up to her lips again. Scott sighs and grabs the cigarette from her mouth, throwing it over the railing. Ash turns to him again, frowning. "What the hell, Scott?" She asks him. Scott's sick of her smoking to ease her stress.

"Derek's also the one that's renting this loft to you." Scott reminds her. He doesn't want there to be tension between the older girl and older male, but there is. Ash is still sour about the way the alpha status changed Derek, and put him and Scott at odds. But she's Scott's older sister, what hurts Scott, hurts her. You don't just get over someone hurting your family. And Ash has been known to hold a grudge.

"He's also the one here for his rent money." Both McCalls turn towards the door to find Stiles has opened it and let that very wolf inside. Ash sighs, looking down at her socked-feet. Derek wasn't exactly supposed to hear that. Not that she wouldn't tell him to his face, but..he wasn't supposed to hear that.

"Um..so, Derek's here." Stiles tells them, scratching the back of his neck awkwardly. Scott gives him a scornful look for not alerting them sooner and then walks over to the table again, sitting down and getting back to his homework. He's not getting involved in their drama unless he has too.

"Yeah, I've got it." Ash says, walking back inside and going over to her where her handbag's thrown carelessly on the couch. She burrows through it, searching for her wallet. But then she stops, sighing when she remembers she used it to buy groceries yesturday for her place and brought her mother's too since Melissa was working a double shift at the hospital and didn't have the time to go. She hasn't seen her mother so she hasn't gotten the money back yet. She looks up at Derek, reluctant to admit she doesn't actually have it. But he notices her hesitation and realises what the problem is.

"If you don't have the money to pay me, just say it-"

"I have it." She cuts him off. He makes it sound like she can't afford it, like she's some kind of charity case, she doesn't like that. Scott and Stiles glance up at them, neither willing to referee an arguement, they've got a Chemistry test tomorrow and they can't fail or they'll fail the whole class. But they also can't have Derek and Ash throwing down in the middle of the loft either. That might make it a little hard to focus on studying. "I just have to pick it up. I'll uh..I'll have Scott bring it over later." She tells him.

"Uh, I really need to study." Scott speaks up, giving her a small sorry smile. Ash looks over at Scott and then back to Derek. He can tell she doesn't want to bring it over herself, and he's not sure he wants her to bring it over either, them alone guarantees an arguement of some kind. And Peter's over at Derek's loft more than Derek likes. He knows what would happen if him and Ash were left alone together. They'd try to kill each other.

"Okay, I'll just bring it over." Ash decides, knowing that's the only option. Derek nods. He turns and starts walking away to leave but remembers what he heard her saying when he first got here. He stops. Stiles whacks Scott's arm to get his attention when he sees the wolf pause. Scott watches him closely, unsure of what he plans to do. But Derek's not planning anything, he just has something to say. He turns back to the ill-tempered girl.

"I'm not Boyd or Erica's Dad. They always had the choice of whether they'd stay or go, they'll always have that choice." He tells her. Ash looks down at her feet again, regretting saying those things about Derek before, or maybe she just hates that he caught her saying them. Because she knows he's right, he couldn't force them to stay. She's just worried about them and sometimes the way she shows that comes out..bad.

Derek leaves after that, knowing Ash has heard him loud and clear, he's gotten his point across. He feels bad enough, and maybe even a little hurt, that Boyd and Erica took off. He's not going to stand there and let her make him feel even worse. He's not made that way.

Ash shuffles her feet, feeling that frustration she feels towards herself boil up just a little more.

"I'm going out." Ash says as she snatches her car keys from her handbag.

"Where-" Scott tries to ask but Ash has already slipped out the door, taking the stairs two at a time. Scott sighs, shaking his head as he once again looks back down at his Chemistry homework and study sheets.

"They're both nightmares." Stiles says honestly. Sure, Stiles loves Ash like she's his sister but he's right. An angry or pissed off Ash is just as dangerous and explosive as an angry Derek Hale. Scott lets out a laugh because even he can admit it's true.

"With the way they're going, the only way this feud between them goes away is by fighting it out." Scott says. "And sadly, I'm not joking." He sighs.

"I don't think Derek would hurt her." Stiles says. Derek may be just as ill-tempered as she is, and intimidating, but he wouldn't put his hands on her. He'd tear the throat of his own Uncle, but he wouldn't strike Ash. She-wolfs? Yes. But an innocent human girl? No. No way.

"Yeah? Well, she'd hurt him." Scott says. Stiles sighs and nods.

"She just loves you, and she worries, alot." Stiles says.

"I know." Scott nods. "I just wish some of that worry could fall to herself sometimes."

"Yeah, so do I."

Ash sets her cobalt blue with double black racing stripes 1969 Camaro SS in her sights. She jams the key in the door with more force than she should. She pauses, her eyes catching another car, one that's always caught her eye, but she's never admitted it. She sees Derek's Camaro, a 2010 SS, same as her's just a much newer model and built on a different sized platform. So, it's understandable that she likes it. But she only oogles it for a few seconds before unlocking her car and getting inside. And she pulls out of the shared bottom-story loft parking garage faster than she should too. But once she's on the main road, she slows down again. She doesn't plan to go anywhere in particular but she ends up where she always does when she takes off. At the beach, parked up from the wharf.

Ash gets out of the car, thankful that she's wearing a hoodie now because the night air is always chilly. As she walks along the empty wharf, she blows hot breath into her hands, hoping to warm them up a little. When she reaches the end of it, she takes another ciagrette from her pocket before sitting down. She sits with one leg folded, the other dangling just over the water. Her combat boot draws gentle circles, barely breaking the water's surface. She brings the zippo's flame to her cigarette to light it. She finally gets to enjoy her cancer stick in peace, with no little brother to throw it away.

It's not even 5 minutes into her 'quiet time' before her phone vibrates in her pocket. She sighs, bringing it out. She quickly reads the text before getting up. It's her mother, she has the money to pay her back for the groceries. She stands up and dusts off her skinny jeans before walking back up the wharf and getting back into her car. She feels alot calmer now, and she just cruises towards her mother's place.

..

"Hi, sweetie." Melissa greets her eldest child with a tired smile.

"Hey, Mom." Ash says, closing the front door behind her. She slips her combat boots off at the door, being respectful.

"Jesus, Ash, you like as tired as I feel." Melissa says, frowning at the bags under her daughter's eyes.

"I'm fine, just stressed." Ash says, sitting down at the dinner table with her mother.

"Are you sure?" Melissa asks as she counts out $20 notes in front of her to pay her daughter back. Ash nods. "Are you sure?" Melissa asks again as she pushes the pile of money in front of Ash.

Yeah, really. I'm fine, just..bills and..just crap." Ash sighs, folding the notes in half and slipping them into her pocket. "Thanks." She trusts her mother, of course she does, she doesn't bother counting it, she knows it's all there.

"You can always move back home, Ash." Melissa tells her.

"No, I'm okay." Ash shakes her head. "I'm coping, and Jade needs my room so you can have your own room." Ash says.

"She's only 18 months, I can still keep her with me, I'll work something out." Melissa offers.

"No." Ash shakes her head again. "It's okay, Mom, really." She assures her. Melissa just nods, dropping the subject. "I'd stay but I have to go by Derek's before it gets too late. Kiss Jade for me." Ash says, standing up.

"I will, Mandy's bringing her home soon from the late daycare." Melissa tells Ash. Ash nods.

"Uh, Scott and Stiles are still at my place studying, they should be leaving soon so Scott will be back before it's too late." Ash tells her.

"Okay, baby, I'll see you later." Melissa says, opening the front door for her daughter as Ash shoves her feet back into her boots. Ash is about to leave but Melissa catches her arm, making her stop. "Are you sure you're okay?" Melissa asks for a third time. Ash puts an assuring smile on her face as she nods.

"Yeah, I just need a little sleep." She tells her mother. "Bye." She says, dropping a kiss to her cheek before walking out the front door.

..

Isaac's eating Mexican takeaways, Peter's already gone home to his own place, and Derek's sitting on the sofa reading a book when there's a hesitant knock on the door. Isaac's eyes shoot to Derek. Derek snaps his old worn book shut and puts it down on the coffee table before getting to his feet. He walks over to the door, pulling it open.

It's quiet and paused for a moment as the two adults look at each other with hidden scowls. Ash holds the money out to him. He takes it in silence. Isaac looks up again when neither of them move after that.

"I didn't mean to blame you for them leaving." Ash speaks up, breaking the suffocating silence. "I'm just worried about them."

"Are you apologising?" Derek asks her, unsure. Ash huffs out a single flat laugh.

"It's all there." She says, looking at the money before turning and walking away. She's not saying the words 'I'm sorry' because he was the one that let them walk away, she just made it sound harsher than she meant because she was stressing. But she wasn't wrong, but neither is he.

Ash goes back into the loft, finding it's empty. She walks over to the table where there's a piece of paper. She sits down at the table, that always feels too big for just her, and picks up the paper. She unfolds it and reads the note left for her.

 _We had to leave before you got back_

 _Chill out Ash, relax a little_

 _-S & S_

She can't help but smile a little. Scott and Stiles worry about her because she's worrying about everyone else. She screws up the piece of paper, taking it to the trash and throwing it in. But she will follow the 'advice'. She plops down on the sofa, laying her head on one of the cushions. She grabs the remote, turning the tv on. She doesn't really pay attention to the cartoon playing because she's slowly giving into her exhaustion and falling asleep.

..

..

 **Some conflict,** _ **of course**_ **. As you can see, Jessie isn't with Derek just yet. Things will become unsettled soon enough so enjoy the calm beginning chapters while you can :P Favourite, follow and review!**


	4. Fortelling Faces

**Shout out to:**

 ***Guest: Thanks :) And yes, a good point. Everyone has different opinions and beliefs when it comes to that though, some people believe you should, some believe you shouldn't. Each to their own :)**

 ***Tesla424: Aw, thank you :) I'm glad, because it's about another 3 chapters before something** _ **huge**_ **happens and changes the game completely!**

 **Extra long one this chapter!**

 **..**

 _The next day_

"I didn't even know you had a sister." Isaac says, looking at Derek.

"Go to school, Isaac." Derek says, turning around to face him. Isaac picks his bag up off the sofa. He straps it over one shoulder before leaving the loft.

"I couldn't help but over-hear." Peter says, walking past Isaac and into the loft. Derek turns around to look over the big window again. "Jessie's coming home?" He says.

"She wants too." Derek says. "I'm still deciding."

"Wouldn't you want her here, with you?" Peter asks.

"And when she finds out you're alive?" Derek asks, looking over at his Uncle. Derek knows that's going to be a disaster, but he would prefer to have his little sister in Beacon Hills with him where he can keep her safe opposed to still living in South America by herself.

"Hmm." Peter muses. But he knows just as well as Derek does that it's going to be a nightmare having those two in a room together.

"I have to talk to Ash about it." Derek thinks out-loud with a sigh.

"About what?" Peter asks with a scoff. Derek just snaps, sick of his Uncle's attitude.

"About Jessie! She's not gonna wanna see you, she's probably gonna hate me for letting you come back, she's not gonna like going to Beacon Hills High, she's not gonna like the people there, I'd like her to have at least _one_ person she can count on!" He yells at Peter.

"And you think that person should be _Ash_?" Peter asks, letting the attitude drop from his voice, because Derek's the alpha now, he is stronger than Peter is. And if Derek killed him once, Peter doesn't think he'd have a problem doing it again. If there's one person on this entire planet Derek would do _anything_ for, it's Jessie Hale, Derek's hot-headed little sister.

"I figured, they're both human, they're both girls stuck in this life." Derek says, letting his voice calm down as he does too now that Peter's not treating this like a game anymore. "I don't know who else to go too." Derek says with a sigh.

"No, I think you're right." Peter says, more seriously. Derek turns around properly to look at his Uncle, surprised to hear him say that. Peter doesn't repeat himself, he goes and sits down on the sofa, slipping a book off the bookshelf. Derek takes that as a 'Yes, good idea' and decides to run with it. He might be the alpha but he does silently look to Peter for guidance now and again. That's probably the only reason Peter's not dead again. Between all the snark, and all the grief he gives everyone, Peter can be useful. Of course, only when he wants to be.

Ash wakes to knocking on the front door, firm knocking. She groans sleepily, sitting up only to feel her whole body ache from the awkward position and from sleeping on the two-seater sofa instead of her comfy queen-sized bed. She tries to make it look like she didn't just wake up as she walks over to the door. She takes her hoodie off so she's in a singlet and she lets her hair out, running her hands through it with hopes to tame it a little. She opens the door a little, looking blankly at the person who tore apart her slumber, only to find it's Derek.

"Everything okay?" She asks, becoming less sleepy and more alert. It seems they only willingly talk when it's something important, or dangerous.

"Yeah." He nods.

"Then what do you want?" She asks, taking on that infamous McCall attitude again. Derek narrows his eyes, slipping into some of that infamous _Hale_ attitude.

"Can I come in?" He asks but by the tone of his voice, Ash knows he isn't really asking. Ash is a little surprised he wants to come in though, she turns and walks back to the living room.

"You own the building." She reminds him, in a way of saying he can come inside. He represses the urge to roll his eyes as he walks inside. Ash picks her hoodie up off the floor quickly and folds it up, putting it on the arm of the sofa. She sits down in the same place she slept, picking up the remote off the floor too, she must have dropped it in her sleep, and turning the tv off as it's still on from last night. Ash gestures to the other sofa when Derek sort of just stands there. He sits down, leaning his arms on his knees and crossing his fingers.

"So.." Ash says when he doesn't say anything.

"I didn't want to just spring this on the pack." He says, looking over at her.

"Spring what?" Ash asks. "What happened?" She asks, her mind instantly going to a series of bad possibilities.

"Nothing. But..my sister, the younger one that still lives in South America?" He says and Ash nods, vaguely remembering the girl being mentioned last year when they were dealing with Peter. "She's planning to come back home to live, in a few days, maybe a week." He tells her.

"Oh." Ash says, surprised to hear that. "Wait..why did you come all the way over here just to tell me that?" She asks, narrowing her eyes a little. You'd think he'd want to tell Scott too, Stiles, whatever.

"Isaac and Peter already know." He says. "I just thought you'd want to tell Scott and Stiles." Ash narrows her eyes even more because that doesn't make sense all at, he'd rather tell them then come here to tell her to do it. He'd rather deal with them over her, that's already been established, and vice versa, more than once.

"No, that's not why you're here." Ash sees right through it. Derek sighs, having trouble dealing with her attitude, probably because his is just as large so they bump heads. Actually, they're not so different those two, but because of that, they clash, _alot_.

"Jessie is barely 18." Derek starts. "She's gonna be going to school with Isaac, Scott and Stiles so I can imagine she might be with Scott and Stiles sometimes-"

"And you don't want her over here at my place, I'm guessing?" Ash interrupts, scowling at him.

"Can you just let me finish?" He asks but by the tone of his voice, it wasn't a question, it was his warning that he's losing his patience, _quickly_. Derek takes her silence as his que to go on. "She's not gonna be friends with Allison, we both know that-" Ash nods because it's a definite that she's not going to get along with Allison, not after she tried to kill Derek. "-and I doubt Lydia's her choice of friend either." Lydia and Allison have slowly drifted away from the Hale pack since everything with Gerard and Jackson being the kanima. It's understandable, and Ash isn't trying to win them back any day soon. Allison hurt Derek and Scott, and Isaac. Lydia was part of that too, and she's still confused about all this supernatural as well.

"Are you asking me to keep an eye on her?" Ash asks, seeing where this is going.

"No. Well..a little. Just..from a-" He struggles to find the words without accidently offending the McCall looking at him, knowing that if he does, they're definitely going to argue. And he's not in the mood to argue.

"A _girl_ 's persepective?" Ash provides and Derek nods. "Are you two not close?" Ash asks, unsure if she's crossing a line by asking.

"We are." Derek says. "I used to live with her and Laura before I came back. But, she's been there by herself for a year and she wants to come home." He tells her. Ash nods because she can understand that need to be close to your family. "Listen, what I'm asking is that if I can't be there for her, can you?" He asks her, getting to his point, the whole reason he came over here while he knew they could just talk without any of the teenagers dropping by because they're at school by now and Peter certainly isn't going to just pop over.

"She doesn't know me." Ash says, but she doesn't decline the request.

"I know, but she's not gonna know anyone but me. You grew up here, you've seen what happens in this town, it's not gonna stay quiet forever. I can't always be there to look after her, I have a pack to take care of, a town to protect." Derek says.

"I get it." Ash nods, understanding that too because Scott had the same problem with Ash in the beginning, with wanting her constantly watched and looked after. That's before he knew his sister had weapons, and knows how to use them, of course. "Wait.." Ash pauses, thinking over what he just said. Derek looks at her properly, waiting for her to speak again. "Shit..she's human, isn't she?" Ash asks him, seeing why of all people he's choosen to come to her. Scott only worried about Ash because she was human, same way Scott worries about Stiles. It's the wolves worrying about, not the weaker ones per-say but, the human ones, the vulnerable ones, the ones that can't just heal on the spot, the ones they can lose in the blink of an eye.

"Yeah." Derek says. Ash thinks over his request for a moment. Derek studies her, waiting for an answer, he doesn't really want to be here for any longer than he has to be. But, he is asking a favour so he's trying to be repectful.

"Yeah, okay." Ash nods. "I can look out for her." She agrees.

Derek stands up again because they both see this conversation's over. It's probably for the best, so they can part on good-ish terms. He stops at the still open door, turning to face Ash again. Ash is folding up the blanket she slept with when she can feel his eyes on her. She looks up again, wondering why he's still here.

"Thank you." Derek says. Ash's lip twitch into a small smile and she nods once in acceptance. Derek leaves after that, sliding the door shut behind him. Ash finishes folding up the blanket and straightening up the cushions. She's surprised that went like that, that they didn't have an arguement. Hell, he is too. They were alone, it was like dropping Mentos into Coca-Cola, except it didn't blow up, for _once._

..

Later, Ash drives to the hospital. Beacon Hills Memorial has a daycare for patient's and staff's children, the daycare that Jade has been attending since she turned 1 and Melissa went back to work.

Ash decides to swing by her mother's office before she goes to visit Jade.

Ash knocks on her open door. Melissa looks up from her sandwich she just brought from the cafeteria.

"Ash, come in." Melissa greets her eldest daughter. Ash returns her smile, walking into her office. She sits on the edge of her Mom's desk, like she always does. And Melissa raises her eyebrow at the action, like she always does. "What are you doing here?" Melissa asks, continuing to eat because her break only lasts half an hour, if she doesn't get paged earlier of course, and then it's another 4 hours until she finishes. She's getting her sandwich into her stomach while she still can.

"I was at home, bored. I was gonna take Jade for the rest of the day, I'll bring her home to you this evening." Ash says. Melissa nods, wiping the mayonnaise from the corner of her mouth off with her napkin. She finishes her mouthful before speaking again.

"I don't see why not." Melissa says. "You know, Jade was asking for you last night." She tells Ash.

"Really?" Ash asks.

"Yeah." Melissa nods. "She misses you. And you were always better at reading to her than Scott and I am." Melissa smiles and that makes Ash grin triumphantly.

"Well, I'll take her home, read to her, whatever she wants." Ash says.

"Yeah, she'll like that." Melissa nods. They both look over to Melissa's handbag on the table when her phone starts to ring from inside it. "That's probably Scott." She says, wiping her hands.

"It's okay, I got it." Ash says, jumping down to her feet. Ash goes over to her bag, fishing out the phone. Melissa sits back down, looking over at Ash. Ash glances at the caller ID and her face falls. She looks up at her mother, her smile's now replaced with a frown.

"What's wrong, sweetie?" Melissa asks her. Ash doesn't say anything, just walks over and thrusts the phone into Melissa's hands before walking out. Melissa is about to call after her, until she looks down at her phone. She sighs, she forgot she told him to ring her back. She reads the caller ID too.

 _Rafael McCall_

Ash refuses to let herself get upset over what just happened. Instead, she slaps a smile on her face as she walks into the daycare centre.

"Hey, can I help you?" The man, not much older than Ash, at the front desk asks when he sees her.

"I'm here for Jade McCall." She says, trying not to make her voice sound as snappish as she now feels. All she can think about is that her mother and father are talking again. Ash can't go through all of that drama right now, not _again_. They've all just gotten back on their feet from the last time he came back then took off again. Ash won't go through it again, she just won't. She won't let her brother and sister go through it either.

"Okay, I need your name and cell number." The new receptionist says, getting the girl's attention again as he brings out a clipboard. Ash sighs, just wanting to get out of this damn building, her skin starting to crawl as she over-thinks and makes herself anxious.

"Ash McCall." She says. The man trails his finger down the list, finding Ash is in fact on the list as a visitor so she can come and see, and even take, Jade. "And my cell is..wait." She stops, looking up at him. "Why do you need my number?" She asks him. The man smirks and leans on the desk. He swipes his tounge across his bottom lip quickly before speaking.

"Name was for the list, the number's for me." He says. Ash just shakes her head and walks straight past him, into the daycare. It's not that she thinks she's better than him or whatever, she just needs a little more than straight arrogance and cockiness. And she's really not looking for that sort of thing right now either.

She puts that smile on her face again when she sees Jade, not wanting her sister to see her frown or be upset.

"Hi." She says, kneeling down beside Jade. Jade giggles, making grabby hands at her, completely forgetting about the toy she was just playing with. Ash smiles alot more genuinely now, lifting Jade into her arms and standing back up. The daycare woman, the one that actually looks after the children, sees Ash and walks over.

"Ash." She greets her.

"Hi, I'm taking Jade for the day. I've already been in to see my mother, I can have her drop by to clear it all if you like." Ash offers, not that she can go back in to see her mother right now, not without them having some sort of arguement.

"No, no, it's fine." Lucy shakes her head. Ash comes through regularly and Melissa has allowed it more than once so she trusts the girl's word. Besides, it's a minute walk to go find Melissa if otherwise anyway.

"Uh..who's the new guy?" Ash asks her, looking over at the man at the front desk.

"That's James." Lucy tells her, looking over at him as well. James sees them both looking and winks. Ash scoffs, looking back at Lucy who just rolls her eyes.

"They let that creep work here?" Ash asks her.

"He's..okay. He's good at his job." Lucy brushes it off. "And if he's the type of guy I think he is, he'll be gone soon. Men seem to just rotate through this place, they can't handle the kids."

"Not like you can." Ash says, nudging her a little. Lucy smiles and nods in agreement.

"Besides, I think he's already getting sick of hitting of me and getting no results." She shrugs.

"Heh. Well, hopefully the next guy's better." Ash says. "I should get going, let you get back to the kids. I'll see you later." Ash says, making her way towards the exit.

"Okay, bye." Lucy waves as the two McCall females walk away, Ash purposely ignoring James as she passes him but feeling his eyes follow her.

..

Jade gurgles and babbles incoherantly but excitedly, only a couple words Ash can actually understand because the toddler's trying to talk at a million miles an hour and her little mind can't keep up with her little mouth.

"What are you saying? Huh? What are you saying?" Ash cooes at Jade as she walks up the stairs to the loft. She holds Jade's hand, helping her walk up the stairs. Her little slipper booties seek out the next step as she holds her sister's hand tightly.

"Go. Go." Jade says as she finds her feet, taking the stairs a little faster. "I go." She says.

Derek walks out of his loft, about to lock it because noone's home. Peter's at his own place and Isaac's at school. He pauses, looking up when he hears the toddler's voice. It's not common to hear a child in these halls, so Derek's surprised.

"All done." Jade says once she's at the top of the stairs. She looks up at Ash with wide pale blue eyes.

"Yes, you're done." Ash says, scooping the girl up into her arms. "And I'm so proud of you, aren't I? Aren't I?" She smiles before raspberrying her baby sister's neck. Jade giggles loudly, squirming her little body. Ash definitely feels better after what happened with her mother this morning now that Jade's with her, Jade always helps Ash to feel better.

"I go, I go." Jade says again, wanting to walk.

"Okay, big girl, here." Ash says, letting her back down to her feet. Ash chuckles as Jade rushes over to the loft door. Except she doesn't stop at Ash's loft, she goes into the one with the door open. That's when Ash looks up and realises Derek's standing right there. Derek watches the girl run into his loft, not sure what to do. He's sure Ash wouldn't appreciate him grabbing the girl. But Ash darts after her, hesitating a little in the doorway but going in anyway. "Jesus, Jade, stop." Ash says, scooping the girl up again. She awkwardly walks over to where Derek is still standing, still unsure of how to handle this situation. "Shit..I'm sorry." She apologies.

"It's okay." He says. He can't scowl Ash for that, and he certainly can't scowl the young girl. if he did, he'd feel Ash's wrath within a second, that and her fist to his face.

"Hi." Jade says from Ash's arms, her eyes beaming up at Derek's face. Derek looks from Ash down to Jade.

"Hi.." He says to her. He looks back up at Ash. "I didn't know you had a kid." He says.

"Oh, no, she's not mine." Ash says quickly, shaking her head. Jade and Derek haven't actually met, maybe only seen each other in passing. Derek and Scott are only recently in the last month started getting along again so it's not like Derek knows all about the McCall family. "She's my little sister, Jade." Ash says. Ash looks down at her sister. Jade's still looking up at him.

"Who?" She asks, looking at Ash as she points at Derek.

"This is Derek..he's Scott's friend." Ash tells Jade.

"De.." Jade tries to say his name but she's still young, she still needs some practice with sounding out words and saying vowels correctly. But Ash just smiles and brushes her hand down Jade's hair because whether she can say more than 20-30 words or not, she's so proud of her baby sister, and she loves that she can be a part of and watch her growing up.

"Um.." Ash says because the two of them were having a casual conversation, that's not something that usually happens, ever. But now, it's quiet again. "I should probably go. Uh..sorry, again." Ash says. Derek just nods. Jade starts playing with Ash's long black hair as she turns away, going over to her own loft while Derek finishes locking up so he can leave.

She juggles Jade on her hip as she digs through her handbag for her keys. She jingles them to front of Jade for a moment, the girl's eyes lighting up, before she uses them to unlock the door. She uses her foot to push it open before going inside.

"Are you hungry?" Ash asks Jade as she closes the door again. "Hungry?" Jade nods and Ash carries her into the kitchen, flicking the radio on as she passes it, music starting to fill the loft softly. She sets Jade on the floor so she can mash up a banana, with a drop or two of milk, to feed the hungry baby girl.

When she's done, Ash lifts Jade up to sit on the counter. She stands in front of her so she can't fall or try to climb down.

"Here, open up." Ash says, holding up a spoonful. Jade opens her mouth expectantly. Ash feeds it to the girl, even though she's starting to learn to do it for herself. She's growing up and they all know it.

Ash feeds her for half of it then lets Jade feed herself for the rest. She lets the toddler down onto the floor once she's done so Ash can wash out the bowl. She scrubs it and leaves it, and the spoon, to dry on the rack.

When Ash walks into the living room, she finds Jade on the sofa, where she always seems to sit when she's over.

"What do you wanna do?" Ash asks, crotching down beside her. "Want me to read you a book?" She asks her. Jade looks over at the radio when a song she's heard her older sister sing before starts to play.

"You sing." Jade says, looking at Ash.

"No, c'mon, Jade. Not today." Ash says, not really feeling it at all.

"Sing." Jade says stubbornly. "You sing."

"Just like a McCall." Ash sighs fondly at her hard-headedness. "Okay, fine." Ash gives in, unable to turn her down when she's looking up at her with those beautiful big blue eyes. She scoops her sister up. Ash walks over to radio, turning it up. A smile does comes to Ash's face because she and her mother both love and sing this song.

" _I don't practice Santeria. I ain't got no crystal ball. Well, I had a million dollars but I, I spent it all._ " Ash sings, her hips swaying to music without her permission.

Jade nods, clapping her hands. Ash smiles, feeling light as she sees her sister so happy. If there's anyone in the world Ash would do anything for, it's this girl and her brother, her Mom too.

" _What I really want to know, my baby, mmm. What I really want to say I can't define. Well, it's love that I need. Oh_." Ash sings, smiling back at Jade as the girl smiles up at her.

Derek's coming home, this time with Peter. He starts to unlock the door, but he gets distracted, by the voice and music coming from the loft across the hall from his.

" _My soul will have to wait 'till I get back, to find a Heina of my own. Daddy's gonna love one and all. I feel the break, feel the break, feel the break and I gotta live it up_." Ash sings, walking Jade around her loft, bouncing her in her arms as Jade smiles and giggles.

Peter pauses, realising just how distracted the alpha has become. Peter listens in, picking up on the singing voice too, the one that's made Derek stop and listen.

" _Tell Sanchito that if knows what is good for him he best go run and hide. Daddy's got a new forty-five. And I won't think twice to stick that barrel straight down Sancho's throat. Believe me when I say that I got somethin' for his punk-_ " Ash covers her mouth, not saying 'ass'. She tries not to curse it front of her sister. Jade giggles, covering her own mouth too.

"Derek." Peter says, making the wolf snap out of it, looking over at his Uncle. Peter raises his eyebrows. Derek just pushes past him, going inside, refusing to admit how much Ash's voice stole his attention. Just like 2 years ago in that bar, not that he remembers that that girl was the same hot-head that's living across from him now.

..

Ash drives towards her old house, the McCall house. She glances in her mirror, finding Jade's sitting comfortably in her carseat, looking out the window and up at the stars and the almost full moon in the night sky. Ash smiles a little, looking back at the road. She drives up the driveway to the house, cutting the ignition and pulling up the handbrake.

She gets out of the car and goes around to the backseat.

"Come on, baby." She says, unclipping Jade's carseat and taking her out of it. By now, Jade looks tired, almost asleep. Ash rests Jade's head on her collarbone gently and walks up to the front, knocking on it. Melissa answers the door and Ash walks inside, not saying anything to her mother.

"Ash." Melissa sighs. "Are you really going to ignore me?" She asks when Ash doesn't say anything. Melissa follows her daughter to Jade's room.

"Here we go." Ash says to Jade, carefully laying her down in her crib. She drapes the blanket over her, tucking her in. "G'night, Jade." Ash says, before standing back up. She starts heading down the hall again, ready to go home.

"Stop being so juvenile, Ash." Melissa says. Ash stops at the end of the hall, turning to face her mother.

"Juvenile, really? That's what you think this is? Me just acting up like some kid?" Ash asks her.

"A little bit, yes." Melissa nods.

"Well, you're wrong." Ash says, turning away again.

"Don't walk away from me!" Melissa calls after her, following her out the front door. "Hey, i'm still talking to you-"

"We have nothing to talk about!" Ash says, turning back around on the driveway.

"You're mad at me because your father called me?" Melissa asks her.

"Don't make me out to be the bad guy, Mom." Ash says. "He wasn't just calling, he wouldn't do that. You and him have been talking." She accusses. "And why the hell you would _willingly_ do that, I have _no_ idea." Ash says, walking over to her car and opening the door.

"He wants to meet Jade." Melissa tells her. Ash pauses and doesn't get in the car but she doesn't turn back around either. "And yes, we've been talking. He's coming through town in the next day or two. He wants to meet Jade and see you and Scott." Melissa tells her. "I thought, that as your father, he deserved that."

"If he wanted anything to do with us, he wouldn't have walked out." Ash says. "He never called, he never came by, he never sent us anything. He just split for months at a time, and then for good once you got pregnant with Jade. That was 2 years ago, Mom. So you know what? Fuck him. I won't be a part of this, not again." She says, still with her back to her mother. Ash lets the words sink in for Melissa before getting in her car.

Melissa sighs as the tires squel on the driveway and Ash takes off back up the street. She knows that news might have hurt Ash, especially since she's the oldest and remembers more of their childhood than Scott. And considering Ash definitely stepped up as 'Mom' while Melissa was pregnant and when she wasn't working. Ash worked, paid the bills, took care of the house, of Scott and of Melissa. And noone was there to take care of her.

Melissa planned to tell Ash her father was coming into town, but then Ash saw him calling and those plans got thrown out the window. It not only upset Ash, but it made it look like Melissa was hiding the fact they'd been talking. And to make things that much worse, Scott doesn't even know yet, Melissa still doesn't know how to tell him. She definitely has to tell him tonight though, Melissa just hopes Ash doesn't get to him with her own angry ideas on the subject first.

..

..

 **Rafael's coming :O Don't worry, things will be going downhill soon enough. Favourite, follow and review!**


	5. A Touch Of Familiar

**For some reason, it's not saying that I updated yesturday but I did. So, go and have a read of chapter 4, it's** _ **extra**_ **long, give it a review if you like and then come and read this one :)**

 **By the way, here comes Jessie!**

 **..**

Derek didn't expect a call from his sister at 4 o'clock in the morning, and he certainly didn't expect her to tell him she was getting off the plane and she needs him to come pick her up. They _talked_ about the _idea_ of her coming home. Derek never agreed to any of this. But, here he is, walking into the airport at 5 o'clock in the goddamn morning.

"Derek?" He turns towards the familiar voice. Jessie, looking more grown up even though they've only been apart a year, smiles widely at her big brother. Derek is a little surprised when the girl collides into him, hugging him. He brings his arm around her shoulders, hugging her back. But then Jessie quickly puts distance between them because neither Hale are big huggers.

"Hey, kid." Derek says. "You uh, you just got on a plane?" He asks. "Without telling me?" He frowns.

"Yeah, pretty much." Jessie nods. "Don't lecture me." She cuts him off before he even speaks again. "I don't wanna be alone anymore. I wanted to come back to stay with you. You can't get mad at me for that." She says. Derek exhales through his nose, knowing he can't really get mad at her for that.

"Where are your bags?" He asks her, changing the subject in a way to show her he's not going to scowl her for her last minute actions. Jessie smiles.

"This is it." Jessie says, a sports bag slung over her shoulder.

"Okay, come on." Derek says, taking the bag from her and putting it over his own shoulder. Jessie smiles a little more at the kind action and follows him out the doors and into the cold, before sun-up morning air, over towards the Camaro.

..

"Yo! Ash!" Stiles calls out, banging on the loft door. There's no answer so he bangs a little louder. He's banging on the door for a few more moments before Ash rips the loft door open with a scowl on her face from being woken from her already crap slumber, _again_.

"What?" She asks bitterly because she's tired, she couldn't get to sleep after what happened with her Mom last night. Stiles frowns at the obviously tired girl wearing pajama shorts, long wooly socks and a loose black singlet. It's also obvious that he just woke her up too.

"Pack meeting, over at Derek's." Stiles tells her. Ash sighs, rubbing her sleepy eyes.

"I'm not pack." She says. "How many times do I have to say it? I'm not part of Derek's pack."

"Not true." Stiles says, becuase it's not true, she is, even if she doesn't want to be. "Hurry up, get a jacket, Scott's on his way now." He tells her. Ash groans in frustration and grabs her hoodie, putting it on. "You don't wanna put on shoes or anything?" Stiles asks her when she walks out in her socks. Ash shakes her head and motions for him to lead the way. She's too sleepy to care about the way she looks, let alone put on shoes.

The two of them walk across the way to Derek's place. Stiles knocks and they barely wait because the wolves already heard them walking over. Derek opens the door, letting them walk in. Scott jogs up the stairs, slipping in as well before Derek shuts it.

Ash turns around when she hears the other set of footsteps behind her. Scott looks at her and then away again. Obviously he knows what happened last night. Which means he now knows about their father too. But this isn't the time for their family domestics to spill out, that sort of thing isn't for the pack to see.

"Everyone's here." Peter says, coming down the stairs. Everyone, aside the two Hales and Isaac, pause when they see the teenaged girl coming down the stairs with Peter.

"Peter has a daughter?" Stiles asks Scott quietly, looking at the girl with the crystal-like blue eyes similar to Peter's and choppy mid-back reaching auburn hair.

"She's not Peter's daughter." Derek says, coming out from the kitchen.

"Thank god for that." Jessie says, still _alot_ sour that she came to live with her brother only to find her Uncle, that murdered her sister, is alive again and practically living here during the day.

In fact, the Hale household remember _many_ things being thrown at Peter, or broken, by Jessie when she first found out. A couple of glasses, a plate and a bowl, and surprisingly, a lamp. That was before Derek decided that trying to calm her was futile and he just grabbed the girl by the wrists, trying to ignore the unmistakable stench of rage coming off of her. But that was early hours this morning, Jessie's had a few more to calm down, and a stern talking to from Derek.

"She's my sister, Jessie." Derek introduces. Derek glances over at Ash and she nods, remembering their little conversation. "Jessie, this is Scott, Scott's sister Ash and Stiles." Derek introduces her to the members of the pack she hasn't met. Jessie nods in greeting, unsure what to say to them. They either nod back or say 'Hey'. "Jessie will be starting Beacon Hills High tomorrow-"

"What? Tomorrow?" Jessie asks, looking at him. "I never agreed to tomorrow." She says. The others just stay quiet, watching the two Hales bicker. Ash is reminded of her and Scott having petty fights as she watches the two of them go back and forth.

"I know, I enrolled you and I didn't ask because I don't have too." Derek says. " _I_ am the adult."

"But I want to start next week." Jessie says, turning to face him with raised dark eyebrows.

"Well, you're starting tomorrow." Derek informs her, facing her as well, towering over the girl. Stiles' eyes go from left to right, between Jessie and Derek.

"Maybe now isn't the time for a family-" Scott tries.

"Scott, was it? Butt out." Jessie says. Stiles' eyes flick to Ash, knowing she's going to have something to say.

"Hey, watch your mouth." Ash warns her, her big sister instincts kicking in. Peter watches on as well, knowing this was going to be as entertaining as it is now.

"Enough!" Derek says louder than everyone else. He doesn't want to deal with juvenile bullshit, not today. "They found a body." He says. That makes everyone shut up and look over at the alpha wolf.

"A body?" Scott questions.

"A dead body." Derek says. "An older man, I don't know anything else. It's why I called you all here." He says. They stay quiet, deciding that listening to what the alpha has to say is more important than arguing pettily right now. "Stiles, you should talk to your Dad, see what he knos about it." He suggests.

"Yeah, I'll get what I can on it." Stiles nods. "Can you still hack?" He asks, looking over at Ash. Ash nods, and that fact surprises a few people in the room as well. "I can probably wrangle the name and age out of my Dad, is that enough?" Stiles asks Ash.

"Yeah, should be." She nods. "If you could get a birthday or occuption or something, that'd help alot." She says.

"Okay, I'll see what I can do." Stiles says. Jessie listens to their conversation with a small smirk, a little impressed at how they work together, how they act like hacking police files isn't a crime. Maybe this pack of her brother's isn't as bad as she thought it'd be. When he said teenagers, she thought the worst. But now, seeing them and hearing them shoot out plans like it's nothing, she can admit that she is impressed.

"Well, when you two know anything, someone contact me." Derek says. Stiles and Ash nod even though Ash knows she'll just get Stiles to call him. "Okay..that's it." He says, in a form of dismissal. Scott stands up first, heading towards the door. The others stand up, getting ready to leave.

"Hey." Ash says, grabbing his arm when he tries to leave without even saying so much as 'Hello' to her.

"I have to go." Scott says, pulling away from her. Stiles looks over at them, a frown darkening his features because he doesn't like seeing his two closest friends fight with each other.

" _Scott_." She says firmer. Scott stops, turning back to face her.

"You know, she thinks you hate her now." Scott says, talking about their mother.

"I don't hate her, I just hate what she's doing." Ash says. The other people in the room avert their eyes but they can still hear them, it's hard not too.

"What, she's letting the father meet their child?" Scott asks. By now, neither McCall cares about the other people in the room, or whether they can hear them.

"She's letting the piece of _shit_ that walked out try and and twist up this family, _again_." Ash corrects him. "You were young when it started, Scott, I wasn't. I remember all of it, _every_ time it happened. It's what he does, he takes what he wants and then he leaves." She says. Scott licks his bottom lip, she's 4 years older than him, she does in fact remember more than he does. "I'm not going to watch it happen all over again, not this time. I can't, Scott."

"Well, you're not Jade's mother, and you're not mine." Scott says before walking out of the loft. Ash's face falls because those words hurt, _alot_. No, she's obviously not their mother, she knows that, but she stepped up like she was another parent. And she is particularly protective of Jade, little baby _human_ Jade.

Stiles sighs, seeing the hurt look on the older girl's face that every one of them in the loft see, even though not all of them understand why it's there.

"Ash-" Stiles tries, touching her arm.

"Don't." She shrugs him off, walking out as well. Stiles closes his eyes when her loft door slams shut. He opens his eyes again, letting out a deep sigh.

"Is she okay?" Jessie asks Derek quietly, leaning closer to him as she speaks. Jessie doesn't even know her but she definitely saw how those words attacked her.

"I don't know." He answers his younger sister honestly. Stiles leaves too, not bothering to say goodbye or anything. He hates it when the McCall siblings fight, and from what he just heard, Rafael must be showing his face again. And Stiles is angry that Ash and Scott would let that dead-beat come between them. Rafael coming back is nothing but bad news for all of them, especially the McCall children. He doesn't deserve to meet Jade, he doesn't deserve to see his kids, not after he left them like they meant nothing.

"Don't worry about them." Peter says, seeing the rest of the pack watching after the three that just stormed out. Isaac, Jessie and Derek turn to face the older man. "That's their family business, not any of your's." He says. Nothing's said after that because they know it's true, but it doesn't meant they have to like it.

Slowly, they dispearse from the room too. Isaac and Jessie go upstairs to their rooms. Peter takes up the sofa with a book. Derek however, goes and stands in front of the massive window. It's raining now and he can't actually see out of it but for some reason, he just looks at the rain trickling down the glass as he slips into his thoughts in a brooding matter like he usually does.

Peter glances over at his nephew, seeing the brooding expression on his face.

"Derek." Peter says.

"What?" Derek answers without turning to him, his eyes watching the snakes of water dribble down the glass still instead.

" _Don't_ get involved." Peter says to him. Derek looks over at his Uncle for a moment before looking back out the window again, not responding.

..

 _The next day_

Ash looks down at her phone, reading the text from Stiles.

 _I culdnt get much frm Dad. His name was Kennedy Roosevelt n he was mayb 35, 40._

Ash sends back a text, telling him she'll look into it.

She's always been good with computers..and hacking. It's a long story. She exits out of everything else she was looking at or working on. She brings up a hacking programme, selecting databases and starting to runs scans and coding. There's weaknesses in the police database so it's isn't that challenging for someone of her skill, some might call it elite hacking, to exploit those weaknesses, squirming her way into their server. Also, where their digital files are kept. She searches the name Kennedy Roosevelt and sighs when there's over 100 hits. But she can narrow that down again, by looking within that search for 'Beacon Hills, California'. And that, that one works. She clicks into the link, bringing up a digital file with pictures, criminal record, descriptions and alot of other information. It now says he's deceased but there is no cause of death on file yet, they must be waiting for an autopsy report or something.

She texts Stiles again, telling him to come by after school.

At school, Stiles checks his phone from under the desk. He reads her text and sends one back to tell her he will. He looks back up, looking over at Mr Harris, barely listening to this Chemistry lesson.

"Who was that?" Scott asks from beside him, keeping his voice down.

"It was Ash. I'm going over there after school." Stiles tells him, keeping his voice down too. "Do you wanna come?" He asks. Scott shakes his head and looks over at Mr Harris again, deciding he'll pay attention now. Stiles frowns, nudging Scott. "Are you serious? What's between Ash and your Mom, is between them. You know Ash wouldn't ever intentionally be vindictive towards you or Melissa, she's just-"

"Mr Stilinski." Mr Harris says, interrupting Stiles' defense. "Move, over here, now." He says, pointing to the empty seat beside Beacon Hills High's newest student, Jessie Hale. Stiles sighs, looking at Scott one more time before picking up his books and bag and moving to sit down beside Jessie.

"Hey." Stiles says to Jessie awkwardly, not sure what else to say because A-he _barely_ knows here, and B-she's _Derek_ 's sister. Stiles and Derek have shaky history, that's starting to come right in the last couple weeks. Stiles doesn't know how much this Jessie is going to like him.

"Hi." She says back, giving him an awkward half-smile. From what Derek's told her, Stiles is the 'spazzy, far too hyperactive, easily distracted, _annoying_ human boy of the pack'. Derek's words, not her's.

"Quiet, the both of you, or your next stop will be the principal's office." Harris warns them both. They both don't say anything and Mr Harris continues with his lecture. Jessie and Stiles glance at each other, trying not to laugh. Right then, it doesn't matter what Derek thinks, that common humor towards causing trouble, that's just mischef in the making.

Stiles notices her dimples that come out when she smiles. Jessie notices how whiskey-like Stiles' eyes are. But they break eye contact, looking back down at their textbooks as Harris tells them to read and follow along from chapter 6.

..

Ash's phone rings, again. She ignores it, again. Her mother's name and number flashes across the screen but Ash doesn't know what to say. Scott was right in what he said, Ash knows that, but she knows she was right too. Rafael is bad news, everyone close to them, like the Stilinskis, know that.

Ash looks up at the door when there's a knock.

"It's open." She says. Stiles opens the door and comes in to find Ash sitting on the sofa with her legs hanging over the arm. She has papers in her lap that she's currently reading from. "Hey, how was school?" She asks him, not looking up because she's still reading.

"Same old." Stiles says, putting his bag on the ground and sitting down on the other sofa. "I invited Scott but..he must have been busy." Stiles says, making up a lie on the spot. Ash pauses, looking up at the younger male.

"Yeah, I'm sure." She says sarcastically, sitting upright properly. She slaps the papers down on coffee table in front of him. "Kennedy's file, everything I could pull." She says, changing the subject to the more important one.

"Really?" Stiles asks, quickly flicking through the pages.

"Yeah." Ash nods.

"Well, you should call Derek, get him over here too. He'll wanna see this." Stiles tells her.

"I'll walk over." Ash says. "Unless you want too." She says a little hopefully. Stiles shakes his head with a smirk, knowing she doesn't want to go over here, after everyone saw her and Scott's disagreement and well, because her and Derek still bump heads.

Ash stands up and leaves the loft, half-glaring at Stiles when he sends her a cheeky smile and gives her the thumbs up. She goes over to the Hale loft and knocks on the door. It's Jessie that answers the door.

"Hi." Jessie says, recognizing the older girl from the pack meet the day before. "Ash, right?" She asks.

"Yeah." Ash nods. "And you're Jessie?" She says and Jessie nods. "Uh..is Derek in, I have to talk to him?" Ash asks. Jessie nods and moves, Derek taking her place having heard their exchange.

"Everything okay?" He asks, just like she did that time he came to her loft to talk. Because they don't talk unless they need too, they're both stubborn like that.

"Yeah, I have the file. Stiles is over, looking at it now, he thought you'd want to see it too." She says.

"Okay." Derek nods. He glances back inside at his sister and Isaac watching tv. He comes out of the loft, shutting the door. Ash takes that as a 'Yes' and starts walking back to her place. Derek follows, an odd silence between them as they have nothing else to say to each other.

She goes back inside, the older wolf still trailing behind her. Stiles looks up at them, glancing between them for signs of frustration or disagreement but it's just silence. Ash sits back down with Stiles but Derek stays standing, crossing his arms over his chest. When noone says anything, Ash just dives into it.

"Well, I found out where he worked, his birthday, address, age, all that crap. But, there's no record of his cause of death." Ash says.

"Does it say he's deceased?" Derek asks.

"Right here." Stiles says, pointing it out.

"It's only been a day, they still have to run tests, autopsy, whatever." Ash says. "So Stiles, if you can get anymore out of your Dad, that'd help."

"Wouldn't it just be easier to go through the hospital?" Derek asks. Ash and Stiles both look up at him. "The hospital will know far earlier than the police will." He says. Stiles nods in agreement, looking over at Ash.

"Ash..maybe you should talk to your Mom." Stiles suggests what he knows Derek was thinking. Ash doesn't answer, she just shakes her head and stands up, walking out onto the balcony. Stiles sighs and Derek looks from her to him. He's not deaf, he and everyone else in the loft heard her and Scott's arguement yesturday, but he doesn't know the details, obviously.

Ash does what she usually does when she's stressed. Malboro. Zippo. Light. Inhale. Exhale. Relax. But the more she thinks about it, the more she knows Stiles and Derek are right. Not just for the sake of finding out the man's cause of death, for her family's sake too. I mean, look at these last couple days, Ash has had horrible sleeps, she's been stressing, anxious. Her and Scott aren't getting along like they usually do. If Rafael is really coming back, he's most probably going to do enough damage to the family, it's going to be much worse if the family's already falling apart to start with.

"Shit." Ash sighs and puts the barely smoked cigarette out in the ashtray. Stiles and Derek have migrated to the file, to look at the papers while giving Ash her space. But they both look up when they hear her come back inside. They watch her grab her jacket and her car keys. She puts her boots on and that's when Stiles speaks up.

"Uh..where are you going?" He asks, because him and Derek are still here.

"To talk to my mother." Ash answers. "Lock up when you leave." She says before walking out the door, slamming it shut behind her. Stiles and Derek share a look, unsure what to do. Stiles decides they should use the time anyway, to discuss possible supernatural connections considering Derek's like Peter, the 'go to' person, and Stiles is just a plain genuis who's done hours of research on the supernatural anyway. And when Derek's not slamming him againist walls or threatening to rip his throat out with his teeth, the two can make a good team.

..

..

 **Jessie's here! And her and Stiles are already getting into trouble together ;) And even Derek and Ash are getting along a little better :D Favourite, follow and review!**


	6. Raging Emotions

**Shout out to:**

 ***Serena Sterling: It's okay :) Thanks for coming on and reviewing when you can, I appreciate it! And thanks, I'm really glad you liked them :)**

 ***AlphaWolf19: It's alright, I do that as well :P Build up chapters sounds accurate :) I love all the emojis! And thanks, I'm glad you like my writing style and thank god you like my 3rd person! I'm so glad I switched to 3rd person and present tense, it's so much easier to read and write!**

 **Enjoy your last '** _Everything's okay in Beacon Hills_ **' chapter my beautiful readers!**

 **..**

When Melissa opens the front door, she's suprised to see Ash. She wouldn't answer her phone when Melissa called so she just thought Ash was avoiding her, which is partly true.

"Uh.." Ash mumbles because she didn't plan how she would open this conversation after a day or two of no contact. She clears her throat. "Is Jade here?" She asks her mother, going to her default, that she's here to see her little sister.

"Yeah, she's playing in her room." Melissa says. There's a beat of silence before Melissa opens up the door some more so Ash can step inside. Ash gives her a small smile and they both walk down the hall and into Jade's room.

"Hi." Ash smiles widely, going over and sitting down beside the young girl. Jade smiles at her, crawling into her lap as she's still trying to perfect the art of walking. "Hi, baby." Ash says.

"A-Ash." Jade says, fumbling a little over her name but she's getting better.

"She misses you alot when you're not around." Melissa says, leaning againist the doorframe and looking down at her two daughters sitting on the floor. Melissa's not just talking about on Jade's behalf either. Ash glances at her for a moment before looking back at Jade, starting to bounce her like she likes.

Scott's head perks up from where he's tying his lacrosse net on his bed. He stands up and quietly slips out of his room, edging towards where he can hear all three McCall woman's heartbeats, the three he knows off by heart.

"Listen..I uh, I need a favour." Ash says, looking back up at her mother.

"What is it?" Melissa asks.

"It's not really for me, it's for the pack. That uh, the murder? It might be supernatural related." Ash says.

"Oh, right. Yes, he was brought in yesturday, they're examinating his body now." Melissa tells her.

"Right, well..if you could, could you tell us the prognosis once it's done?" Ash asks, hoping she'll say yes. Melissa looks at her a little skeptically. "We just want to make sure noone else gets hurt, stop whoever or whatever it is if we can. We just wanna help, and I promise it won't blow back on you for telling me." Ash assures her. Melissa thinks it over.

"Yeah, okay." She nods. "I should know tomorrow."

"Thank you, really." Ash says sincerely.

"It's okay, I wanna help too." Melissa says. Ash knows that comment isn't just about helping the pack but she doesn't comment on it. Melissa hoped Ash would, so the conversation they need to have could be started. But, no. So, Melissa takes it into her own hands. "Your father's going to be in town tomorrow." Melissa tells her. Scott waits in the shadows, down the hall from Jade's room, listening for Ash's reply.

"I should get going, I left Derek and Stiles at my place alone. I wanna get back before Stiles forgets to let the dog out and he pees on the carpet." Ash says, brushing it off with a dog joke, finding it harder to talk about her Dad than she thought. She kisses Jade's head before getting to her feet.

"Ash." Melissa says, catching her arm when the girl tries to walk out. Ash stops, looking at her mother. "We need to talk about it."

"No, I have nothing to say about him." Ash shakes her head.

"You've been avoiding me, and I get it. But I don't care what you do or don't have to say about him, I care about _us_ , about _our_ relationship." Melissa says to her. Ash sighs, giving up her attempt to leave because part of the reason she came over her was to bury this senseless hatchet. "So, can we talk?" She asks.

"Yeah, yeah, okay." Ash nods. Scott is relieved to hear Ash say that. Melissa and Ash move a little out of Jade's room and into the hallway, not wanting to disturb Jade's playtime.

"I want to show you something." Melissa says. Ash nods and Melissa reaches behind her neck, undoing her necklace and taking it off. She then holds it in her palm and unclips the gold heart locket, opening it up. "You see this?" Melissa says, showing Ash the picture inside. Ash looks at it and instantly remembers the day that photo inside was taken. The day Jade May McCall was born.

In the photo, it's her family. It's Melissa, sitting with her older sister, Hailey. It's Scott and Ash sitting together beside the two sisters. And Ash holds a newborn Jade in her arms. Ash remembers that day vividly. Just like she remembers the day Scott was born vividly despite her young age. She remembers the joy and happiness both births brought on.

"This is your family, these people in this picture." Melissa tells Ash. Ash looks back up at her mother. "I can't excuse what your father's done to this family, and I also can't stop him from meeting his daughter-"

"But he wasn't there." Ash says, scowling at the memory of her father walking out 3 months into Melissa's 3rd and last pregnancy, that's about 2 years ago now. "He wasn't there for the ultrasounds, or the birth, or anything. He-he's never been there, for any of us." Ash can't stop the tears that fill her eyes because it's such a deep aching hurt that Ash feels about her father and the things he's done.

"I know, baby, I know." Melissa says, touching Ash's cheek, seeing how upset all of this is making her. "But he has rights as a parent. And yes, it sucks. But think of Jade, and how never meeting her father would effect her." Melissa says and Ash doesn't say anything because Melissa's right, it's not about her or Scott or Melissa, it's about Jade. "You and I know this won't last, he won't stick around. It hurts, but it's the truth. I just need you to bottle all that anger up while he is here, for Jade's sake." Melissa says with a sad smile. It's true, they both know it's true, Rafael won't stay. He didn't want anything to do with Jade before she was born or after, it's not going to change now, even if he does want to meet her. "That's all. You can feel however you want to about him, that's your choice, not mine. But, we have to let him do this, he has a right, and Jade deserves to know her father, even if he's no good. Jade deserves that much." Melissa says. Ash sighs and pinches the bridge of her nose, knowing all of that is true.

"Okay." Ash nods. "I can do that." She says.

"You can, I know you can." Melissa smiles. "Here, I want you to have this." She says, holding the locket out to Ash.

"Oh, Mom..I couldn't, you've had that for years." Ash says.

"Yeah, and it's about time I passed it on to you." Melissa says. She doesn't wait for Ash to reply, she just goes behind her, putting it on and clipping it. She gently lifts her daughter's long black hair from under the chain and goes back to stand in front of her.

"Mom, are you sure?" Ash asks her. Melissa nods, smiling.

"You're right, he wasn't there. Even when he was there, he wasn't around. So next time you need a reminder, look at that, that's your family. And I'm sorry he didn't want to be a part of that." She says. Ash smiles sadly and rushes forward, hugging her Mom tightly. Melissa's surprised, considering Ash isn't a touchy-feely person, but brings her arms around her daughter, hugging her back. "It's okay, Ash, he can't hurt this family anymore. We're McCalls, we're strong." She says, stroking the back of Ash's head. Ash nods in agreement.

"I'm sorry." She apologies. "I'm sorry for what I said." She says, blinking back her tears.

"I know you are, it's okay, I'm sorry too." Melissa says. Scott reveals himself, walking up behind his Mom. Ash sees him over Melissa's shoulder. Her and Melissa pull back and that's when Melissa sees Scott too. "I'm going to bed, I'll see you later, Ash. I love you." Melissa says, backing away from the siblings.

"You too." Ash says. Ash looks back to Scott when she hears her Mom's bedroom door close. "Did you uh..did you hear all of that?" Ash asks him.

"Yeah." Scott nods. He smiles a little, coming forward and hugging Ash too. Again, Ash hugs back. She sniffs, not letting any tears fall, but it was a tense and emotional situation. "No more, okay? No more fighting." He says.

"Yeah, no more." Ash nods, hugging him tighter because she _hates_ fighting with her family.

..

"Isn't it nice to have to family back together?" Peter asks, looking between Derek and Jessie. Isaac and Derek both glance at Jessie, smelling the anger that recks from her just from hearing his voice and having him in her presence. And they both clearly remember the other morning, watching, and cleaning up after, Jessie's fit.

"I'm going out." Jessie says, getting up off the couch. Derek sighs, knowing how much Peter probably thrives off this drama he's causing.

"Jessie." Derek says.

"Where are your keys?" She asks him. Derek takes them from his pocket, holding them up. Jessie hears the jiggle and turns around to face him. She gives him a pleading look, _needing_ to get away from Peter right now.

"I give you these if you take Isaac with you." Derek compromises. Isaac looks over at Derek and then to Jessie.

"Yeah, okay." Jessie nods, because she doesn't mind Isaac. He's quiet, he's not nosy or a douchebag, so Jessie's okay with having him around. Derek stands up and takes the keys over to her. Jessie grabs them but Derek keeps a firm hold on them, not letting go yet.

"Be careful, there's something out there." He reminds her. Jessie nods and he lets the set of keys go, allowing Jessie to take them into her own hand. She nods thankfully to Derek before heading for the door.

"C'mon, Isaac." She says, grabbing her jacket off the door. Isaac gets up too, following her.

"Hey." Derek says, catching his arm. The beta stops, looking at his alpha. "Look after her." He enforces.

"I will." Isaac nods. Derek lets him go now and Isaac leaves, sliding the loft door shut behind him, leaving only Derek and Peter in the loft.

"Jessie doesn't seem to like me much-" Peter starts to say. Derek cuts him off, shoving him into the wall and pinning him to it with his hand wrapped around Peter's throat.

"Just stay away from her, this is my only warning." Derek warns him before letting him go. Peter rubs his neck as Derek makes his way up the spiral staircase to go to the room at the end of the hall that only he usually goes in.

Peter scowls as the bruise to his neck heals over easily enough. Peter can see how getting comfy with this pack of teenaged werewolves and even humans has made Derek softer than Derek was when he took Peter's life and alpha status. That annoys Peter, because if Derek can't be the alpha he should be, then Peter wants the alpha status back, he just knows Derek's entire pack would come down on him if he tried to kill Derek. So, that's not a realistic plan. But an alpha can become a beta, or an omega, by choice. And right now, Peter sees that as a smart move, so he can the alpha again and be strong, bite people with potential, not raging-hormonic teens. So he can build a pack he can be proud of, because Peter's not proud of Derek's pack, he sees them as weak. But to Derek, even though he hasn't admitted it out-loud, he sees them as the opposite, and that's exactly why he hasn't abandoned them or sent them away or given up as the alpha, because he and his pack are the protectors of this town and that's the way Derek intends for it to stay. Even if Peter completely disagrees with him.

..

..

 **All made up, for the McCalls :3 The Hales are having some problems. But, death, the death I mentioned in the summary of this fic (** _ **the death of a loved one**_ **), is upon them next chapter :O Who will it take? Favourite, follow and reivew!**


	7. A Terrible Tragedy

**Remember that death of a loved one I mentioned in the summary? Well, warning for character death this chapter.**

 **Shout out to:**

 ***Serena Sterling: Yeah, sure is. Yes, everyone has good relationships right now! But..this chapter..um..**

 **..**

As expected, Ash had a much better sleep after she made ammends with her family. She lays in bed, fiddling with the gold heart locket around her neck in her fingers.

There's only one bad thing weighing on her mind right now.

Her Dad's in town today. Her Dad will be meeting Jade today. And apparently, he wants to see her and Scott too.

Ash isn't exactly okay with these things. But there isn't much she can do about. She just hopes she can avoid her father for however long he's around, but she knows that even that's a long-shot. It's a small town, they're bound to bump into each other. I don't know, Ash is just holding onto that small chance that she personally won't have to have any sort of communication with him.

She pulls herself out of bed and makes her way into the bathroom. She cranks the taps, starting to fill the bathtub up with hot water. She finds her bottle of lavender bodywash, shooting it under the rushing water to make wonderfully scented bubbles. She shakes the bottle, finding it practically empty. She throws the bottle in the trash and makes a mental note to pick up more when she goes to the supermarket for more groceries later. Ash slips out of her clothes and eases into the tub. She puts her feet under the rushing water and once the bath is filled, she turns the taps off and leans back, engulfing her body head-down in lavender warmth.

She soaks in the tub for a good long time. It's like a cigarette to her, it's relaxing, it's calming. It's exactly what she needs after these past couple of days. But, she has to get out. She wants to get her grocery shopping done before the weekend rush that's normally on Saturdays.

She gets out and lets the water out. She dries and dresses into black high-waisted shorts and a plain white singlet. She throws her leather jacket on and decides to wear red chucks today instead of her boots.

She locks up the loft and goes down to her car. She's about to pull out when she spots Jessie, walking out of the garage. She drives slowly, stopping beside her. Ash winds her window down.

"It's Jessie, right?" She asks her. Jessie looks at her, sees it's Ash and not some creep, and nods. "You wanna ride?" Ash asks her. With the new murder, she doubts Derek would be happy to learn his little sister was walking around by herself. Jessie's human, it isn't safe. Plus, she did tell Derek she'd look out for Jessie, she plans to stick to her word best she can.

"I'm heading into town." Jessie says.

"So I am. Come on, get in." Ash says. Jessie nods and gets into the car. She'd rather be driven than walk, and get in trouble with Derek later for walking. Ash pulls out onto the road, following the straights that take you into the heart of Beacon Hills, the supermarket, bank, library, outlet stores, the works.

"Hey, uh.." It's Jessie that breaks the silence between them. "I'm sorry if you and I got off on the wrong foot." She says. Ash stops at the traffic lights and looks over at the younger girl.

"It's okay." Ash says. "It was a stressful day, just tension running high." She says.

"I couldn't help but notice you and Scott." Jessie says. Ash doesn't say anything to that, just shrugs. "They helped me alot at school yesturday, him and Stiles. They seem like good guys."

"Yeah, they are. Alot of heart in those two." Ash says. "Oh, when you see Derek, can you let him know my Mom will tell me first. He'll get it." She says. Jessie nods.

"There's something not right between you and Derek, isn't there?" Jessie asks, choosing her words carefully. She's not blind and she's not stupid. She knows her brother, she can see the interaction between him and other people. Ash huffs out a sigh.

"It's history, between him and Scott mostly. But you know, you don't forgot someone hurting your family easily." Ash says.

"Yeah. Yeah, I get that." Jessie nods, thinking of her own dark past and how she still feels about Peter, how she'll _always_ feel about Peter.

"It's not personal. But, sometimes my temper just..forgets." Ash admits.

"I'm sure he understands." Jessie says. "He can be kind of an asshole anyway." She says and Ash finds herself laughing. Jessie laughs too, and any awkward tension between them is gone.

"I can be too." Ash admits.

"What was he like?" Jessie asks. "Derek, I mean. I know I haven't been around long but there's definitely a change from now compared to when he was with me and Laura."

"Well, as you can tell, me and him aren't close, so I don't really know." Ash says. "But you are right, he is different to when I first meet him. Not all of it's bad but not all of it's good either, like anyone with change. I think the alpha status changed him alot, but he's not just power hungry anymore. Him and Scott, they're leaders. Scott under Derek, of course." She says.

"What about Scott and Stiles? Do you think they've changed?" Jessie asks, her curiousity getting the best of her. If those two boys are going to be with her at school all the time, she'd like to get to know them a little more.

"Yeah." Ash nods. "Aside Derek and Peter, we all only got sucked into this supernatural shitstorm last year. But it's made them stronger, smarter, it's brought them closer together." She says.

"And you?" Jessie asks, curious about this girl too. Ash pauses, only realising now how open she's been with this girl she hardly knows, the girl she only know as _Derek_ 's sister. She's surprised but it is nice to have a girl to talk too, not just Scott and Stiles.

"I'm just whatever I need to be to keep my family whole." Ash answers honestly, not meeting the girl's eyes.

They drive in silence for awhile. Ash starts edging towards the heart of the town and speaks up again.

"Where too?" She asks Jessie.

"Where are you going?" Jessie asks.

"Supermarket, I gotta pick up some groceries." Ash says.

"Oh, cool, I gotta duck in there anyway." Jessie says. Ash nods and turns into the supermarket, parking close to the door. Jessie didn't exactly tell the truth, she didn't really have a destination in mind, it's why she didn't take the Camaro. She just needed to get out of the loft. She still has alot of problems with Peter, after what he did to her older sister, it gets hard to be in the same room with him like nothing happened sometimes. Sometimes she just wants Derek to kill him again.

The two females go into the store. Ash takes a basket and Jessie just picks up a few things she feels like snacking on. Ash makes sure to get her lavender bodywash, it's been her favourite for years. She picks up a few other things, some potatoes, milk, a loaf of fresh bread, a packet of fettucine and a small chives plant. Suddenly, Ash just stops. Jessie frowns when she notices.

"Hey, are you okay?" Jessie asks her. Ash swallows. The person she's seen has now seen her too, and is starting to walk over.

"Jessie, you should go." Ash says, not wanting her to see the fight most probably about to take place. Jessie's frown deepens but she nods, not wanting to pry.

"Thanks for the ride." She says. She walks away but can't help but not leave the store yet. She shamelessly watches from a distance, it's not to be nosy, it really is to make sure this girl is okay because she just suddenly clammed up.

"Ash?" Rafael asks, stopping in front of her. Ash just looks at her father, not sure what to say or do. She's so sure all the colour has drained from her face. This is exactly what she didn't want to happen. Even her blood runs cold. "I'm on my way to see Jade and your mother." He tells her.

"Wh..what are you doing here?" Ash asks.

"I just told you." Rafael says.

"No. No, you don't just pop up, only when you want something." She says. Ash looks past her father as a blonde middle-aged woman walks up to them. Ash is about to say something about how closely she's standing to them but then the woman links her arm with her father's. Rafael gives her a small smile before turning back to Ash. Ash realises, this must be his partner or whatever.

"I know it's been that way in the past-" Rafael continues.

"I'm warning you now, don't you dare try to take anything from my family ' _Dad_ '. And _she_ -" Ash says, pointing to the blonde. "-is not welcome in my mother's home." She says bitterly before walking past him and her and over to the counters. From where Jessie's standing, she watches the girl walk away, her frustration and despise clear by the look on her face and the way her shoulders are all tense and squared. She's seen it on Derek a million times. She slips out of the store after that, giving Ash her privacy.

Ash puts her things on the counter and throws in a bag of salted peanuts from the side rack. She stands there with a furrowed brow, waiting for the check-out woman to ring up her groceries.

"Anything else, ma'am, or is that all for today?" The woman asks Ash.

"Oh, uh..I'll have a pack of Malboros too, reds." She says. She pays and picks up her bags, smiling politely and saying 'thank you' to the check-out lady. She carries the bags to her car, putting them into the boot. She gets into the driver's seat and sighs, resting her head on the top of the steering wheel. She decides to call her Mom, give her the head's up.

"Ash, Hi." Melissa answers her phone.

"Hey. Um..I just saw Rafael, he's..he's on his way to you now." Ash sighs. "He has some woman with him, I don't know who she is. I made it clear she wasn't to come to your home."

"Oh." Melissa says. "Are you alright?" She asks, hearing that stress in Ash's voice again.

"Yeah. Yeah, I'm fine. You just uh..call me tonight, let me know everything's okay, alright?"

"Of course." Melissa says. "Everything's gonna be okay, Ash, I promise." She assures her eldest.

"Okay, I'll talk to you later then."

"Okay, baby, bye."

"Bye." Ash hangs up and Melissa does too. She feels a little better now, after hearing her Mom say that. She will admit, she has this sick feeling in her stomach, like a 'bad feeling' sort of sick. But she'd rather follow Melissa's words. She pulls out of the parking lot and starts driving home.

..

Ash has cleaned out the fridge, wiped it all down and washed the racks and put the groceries away. She's just finished making a chives and mushroom fettucine. She's about to sit down to eat it as it's already late, past her usual dinnertime and she's hungry, when there's a knock at the door. Ash sighs and gets back up out of her seat, answering the door. She expects Scott or maybe Stiles, but she isn't that lucky.

"Go away." Ash says, attempting to slam the door in Rafael's face. At least the blonde isn't with him to watch this. But Rafael jams his boot in the door, stopping it. Ash sighs and opens the door again. "Piss off."

"Ash, it's urgent." Rafael says.

"What is it?" She asks.

"It's your mother." He says. Ash's face falls. She forgets about her anger, her frustrations, everything.

"Is she okay?" Ash asks.

"No. She's in the hospital, it's serious. We need to go, _now_."

..

When Ash gets to the hospital, Scott is already there, he's already in tears. Stiles is with him, crying as well. She races over to them, kneeling down beside where Scott's sitting on the floor, leaning againist the wall.

"Scott?" She says. He tries to speak but nothing but a sob comes out. He just shakes his head, fresh tears trailing down his face. Ash looks to Stiles.

"I-I..I'm so sorry, Ash." Stiles says. And that's how Ash knows the worst has already happened. She knew, deep in her gut, that something was wrong. _Very_ wrong.

"N..no." Ash says. "No." She refuses to believe it, standing up. She looks in the window, seeing John is inside with Melissa.

"No, Ash, don't-" Stiles tries to stop her. But Ash runs into the room, bursting through the door. John turns around, his eyes red-rimmed and glassey.

"Ash." He sighs.

"No." Ash says, starting to cry when she sees the still body of her mother, laying on the hospital bed. The clawed up mess that's her stomach is covered by the blanket. She can't get those words out of her head.

 _Everything's gonna be okay, Ash, I promise._

She starts to breath quickly, running her shaky hands through her hair. She covers her mouth with her hand as she starts to sob violently, shaking her head. Her eyes are swimming in tears so much that she doesn't see John come over to her, she just feels his arms come around her. She leans into him, hiding her face and crying againist his shoulder.

"N-n-no." She cries, her entire body raking his sobs. John weeps, rubbing Ash's back, trying to soothe her even a little bit. But it's no use.

And Stiles can't get Scott to calm down either. In fact, Scott gets to his feet, sprinting out of the hospital with Stiles yelling after him. Scott bursts out of the hospital, flying into the woods. He lets his wolf take over, shifting and letting out an unbelievably miserable howl into the night.

Isaac, Peter and Derek all hear it. It tears through the silence in their loft like a goddamn razor blade. Their eyes fall to Derek, for direction. Jessie can tell by their actions that something's wrong.

"Derek?" Jessie says.

"Let's go." Derek says, getting up, all three of them following the alpha. Because that's the same howl Derek cried to the moon the night his house, and family, burnt to the ground. Noone was there to console Derek, not until Laura and Jessie found him the next day. Derek's not letting that happen to Scott too.

..

They found Scott. He was like an abused dog, no pun intended. He was wolfed out, too hurt to bother shifting back. He was practically curled up in the leaves. He was crying and whimpering and it was actually painful to watch.

And then they found Ash. She took off too, she tried to drive. She didn't get far, she had to stop because all she could see through her tears was headlights. She was crying, but it was angry, she was trying to stop but she couldn't. She wouldn't look at them when they found her. She just sat on the gravel, leant againist her car tyre, sniffing and weeping.

But now, the next day, the McCalls stand alongside a coffin. Some of Melissa's friends are here too, most from the hospital. Melissa's sister Hailey, Scott's Aunt, she drove down for the funeral. Stiles and John came too, they stand with the McCall siblings. The McCalls and Stilinskis were like one big family anyway, this loss hurt every single one of them. They wanted it to be a small funeral, private, like she'd want.

Ash holds her younger sister in her arms. Jade is young, she doesn't understand. Some of the people attending speak, mostly her closest friends and family. Her closest friend, Danielle from the hospital, she speaks first. Scott and Ash go up next, together, still with Jade held in her older sister's arms. They speak of their mother with only respect and love, everyone can see that. When Hailey, Melissa's sister, speaks, she reads a passage from the bible. Melissa and Hailey always had ties in religion.

The final part comes, tears either in everyone's eyes or already down their faces. Melissa's close family go last, letting her friends go first, placing a white rose on her casket before it's lowered into the ground. Stiles and John follow that group, placing a rose on the pile each. Then Hailey goes up, kissing her rose and placing it down gently. Scott goes up with his sisters. He kisses his rose and puts it down too. Jade, with Scott's guidance, does the same thing. Scott then takes Jade from Ash, knowing she needs to do this part alone. Ash picks the biggest, most beautiful rose she can. She kisses it and places it down on top of the others but keeps her hand over them all softly.

"We're gonna make this right." She promises in a whisper. Ash walks back over to her family and the coffin begins to lower. She holds her tears back, standing strong, just like her mother would. Scott brings his other arm around his older sister's shoulders, the three McCall siblings huddling close together, drawing comfort from each other.

..

Ash is settling Jade down on the couch when there's a knock on the door.

"It's Auntie." It takes one sniff for Scott to determine who it is. He gets the door, inviting their Aunt Hailey inside. She's not in the 'loop' about the supernatural, but she's still here for her family, for her deceased sister's children, for her neices and nephew.

"Come here, baby." Hailey says, looking at Ash. Ash goes over to her and is pulled into a tight hug. Hailey doesn't say anything because she doesn't need too. She rubs Ash's back a few times before pulling back. She plants a kiss to Ash's cheek before moving to give Scott the same treatment. Jade pulls herself to sit up, waving her arms around when she sees her Aunt. Hailey walks over and lifts Jade up, kissing her dark locks that fall in soft curls down her back, just like Melissa's. "Everything set?" She asks, looking over at Ash.

"Yeah." Ash nods. Scott's come to live with her in the loft, the McCall house is empty and that's the way it's going to stay for awhile. "I don't know how this is going to work but..I.." She sighs, easily becoming overwhelmed with stress and grief.

"Hey, it's okay." Hailey says. "We'll figure something out. For now, I'll have Jade with me. We can figure out a week-on-week-off thing between us." She says. Ash nods, knowing that right now, while her and Scott are in this emotional rut, it's the best thing to do. Hailey will look after Jade for awhile, give the two older McCalls some time.

"Thank you." Scott says.

"It's no problem. I'm here, for anything you need." Hailey says, looking between them. "I might hit the road before it gets too dark." She says.

"Okay." Ash nods. Their Aunt Hailey hugs them both tightly one more time before taking Jade's bag, along with Jade, and leaves. It's been a long day for all of them and noone blames Hailey for wanting to get home earlier. When the door shuts, Ash sighs and sits down on one of the two sofas. She rubs her eyes, they're sore with lack of sleep.

"We're gonna get through this." Scott says, sitting down beside her. He speaks with strength but he has tears down his face already. Ash looks up at him, her heart breaking at the sight of her brother crying. She wraps her arms around him and it doesn't take long for Scott to break, for him to start sobbing, grieving. Ash weeps silently, trying so hard to be the strong one and hold Scott together without breaking down herself.

"You're right, we'll get through this. We'll be okay." She says, rubbing her hand up and down his back. But she's not actually sure how true those words are.

..

..

 **Poor Ash and Scott :( Favourite, follow and review!**


	8. The Stages Of Grief

**Beware, Ash is going to have some pretty dark low points in this chapter but Derek will be there to help :P**

 **Shout out to:**

 ***Serena Sterling: I know, I know, I'm sorry but someone important needed to die, I'm sorry. No, she's really** _ **really**_ **gone. You're welcome :)**

 ***Chels: Thank you!**

 ***AlphaWolf19: Thanks, I'm glad you liked it all! No, no Malia or Cora, but I can definitely see Jessie and Malia having, um, 'complications' if they were to meet ;) But yes, Jessie and Ash will be getting closer :) Here's the new chapter!**

 **..**

 _A few days later_

Scott didn't really want too, but he needed to go back to school after missing over half a week. The mid-term exams are coming, tests, he can't really miss it. And he knows his mother would want him to be there for them, she always wanted him to get into a good college after high school. He's trying to be strong for his mother, for his sisters. He's got Stiles, his _brother_ , right by his side, for whenever he needs him. But his worry is Ash, Ash who's at the loft alone for the first time since Melissa passed.

 _Please go over and check on Ash. If she doesn't answer the door, which she probably won't, just go in. Thanks._

Derek sighs at the text Scott just sent him. It's not that he doesn't care about the McCalls and what they're going through, he understands because he's been through horrific loss himself, but him and Ash barely get along on a good day. And now, she's going to be all twisted up with grief and that doesn't paint an inviting picture for Derek. But, Scott's done alot for Derek, from helping him with Peter to helping his pack with Gerard and the Kanima, Gerard would have killed Derek have Scott not had his own plan running the whole time. Derek 'owes' Scott one. And Derek knows this isn't a hard thing to do, and he knows how much Ash means to Scott, so he knows he can't really say no.

He shoots back a quick reply saying he'll do it. So, he leaves Peter alone in the loft and goes across the hall. He turns back around when he hears footsteps behind him.

"Jessie?" He questions. "Why aren't you at school?" He asks her.

"I was, I just got home." She says, walking up to him. "I had Gym last and I'm too tired so I came home." She justifies. "Don't worry, it wasn't any of the tests, just laps." She assures him. Derek frowns and thinks of lecturing her, but he knows he's got to do this thing for Scott first.

"Okay, go inside, I'll be back soon." He says.

"Why? Where are you going?" Jessie asks her brother, her curiousity beaming.

"I have to check on Ash for Scott." He tells her.

"I'll come." Jessie says. Derek catches her arm when she tries to walk past him.

"You should go home." He says. "She won't be happy to see either of us."

"I know. I've been through this before, we both have. I know how it works." Jessie says. Ash has shown Jessie kindness, a kindness not many people show her family. That means something to Jessie. She's not going to let Ash fall victim to grief and loss like she watched Derek almost do, if Laura wasn't there he would have, Jessie would have too.

Derek sighs and lets Jessie go, because she's right. The three Hales understand the McCall's loss, the shockingly suddeness of it, that rusty knife to the heart, better than anybody.

The two Hales walk over to Ash's door. Derek knocks on the door and waits, but like Scott assumed, there's no answer. And Derek knows she's in there.

Ash hears the knock on the door but doesn't bother answering it. She doesn't want to see anyone she doesn't have too. When she hears the door open, she doesn't even fret. When she hears someone coming up the stairs, she doesn't fret either. She knows it's someone she knows, otherwise they wouldn't have knocked then let themselves in.

Jessie decides to lead, knowing even if Ash isn't happy to see either of them she'll at least be a little more happy to see her instead of just Derek. Jessie knows Ash and Derek have been struggling to get along, she understands why but like Scott, she wishes it was different. But now's not the time to worry about their friendship.

Jessie knocks on her bedroom door a few times before opening the door and going in. Ash just glances at Jessie and Derek. Jessie looks to her big brother for some kind of guidance. When he doesn't say anything, Jessie sits down on the edge of Ash's bed. Ash is just laying on her stomach on top of her bed, not doing anything. Both Hales notice the freshly tattooed wings sticking out the top of her singlet but they don't comment on it.

It's sort of a blur to Ash, one minute she was driving nowhere in particular, the next a tattooist was telling her she was all done. But they're beautiful, two detailed, realistic angel wings that cover her whole back..in memory of her Mom.

"We were gonna get something to eat, do you want something?" Jessie lies, but hopes Ash will say yes.

"No." Ash shakes her head. Jessie looks over at Derek again, urging him to do _something_.

"Scott asked me to check on you." He says. Jessie makes a mental note to smack her brother in the back of the head for how unempathetic he sounds, he could at least _pretend_ he was over here because he was a little worried. But he didn't mean to sound that way, it just came out like that. Ash pulls herself to sit up and gets off her bed.

"I don't need a babysitter." Ash says quietly as she passes Derek, walking out the door without even sparing the man a glance. The two Hales are left in her room, wondering what to do.

"We should just go." Derek says. Jessie looks at him blankly, like he's stupid.

"And what if Laura hadn't have kept us together after the fire?" Jessie says. Derek doesn't answer because he knows abandoning a grieving person isn't the smartest thing to do. Whether they're friends or not, whether they get along or not, just being there helps, alot. It's why Laura refused to be weak, she held herself and her small family together after the fire. And that's what kept them all going. Ash is trying to do that now. But Ash is someone who needs that right now, even if she refuses to admit it.

Jessie stands up and leaves too, going back downstairs. Derek waits a moment before following after her.

"Come on, Ash." Jessie coaxes. Ash just shakes her head, walking out onto the balcony. Derek knows what she's going to do before she does it. Malboro, zippo, inhale, exhale. Like goddamn clockwork. She just needs something to help her relax. "Just come out, for a little bit?" Jessie tries to convince her. Jessie knows first hand that being locked up in the loft all the time with her depressive thoughts can't be doing her any good.

"You should go." Ash says to them without looking back at them. She doesn't want to hear it, not right now.

"Ash-" Derek doesn't know what he plans to say, but Ash doesn't even give him the chance.

"Just go, get the fuck _out_!" She snaps, turning to face the Hale siblings with red, watery eyes and a pissed off but hurt look on her face. Derek grabs Jessie's arm. Jessie doesn't argue, she follows Derek's lead, leaving the loft before Ash blows a fuse or breaks down in tears.

"Next time, you listen to me and you go home." Derek says to Jessie once they're in their own loft. Scott asked him to check Ash, and now the girl's worse off than she was before. Scott will be _thrilled_ about that, especially since he's drowning in his own sorrow too. Jessie turns to him with a frown.

"You're mad at me?" She asks him.

"Just next time, listen." He says, about to walk away from her.

"Screw you." Jessie says, grabbing her bag. Derek turns back to her, raising an eyebrow. Jessie ignores it though, heading for the door again.

"Where do you think you're going?" Derek asks her.

"Back to school." She says before slamming the loft door shut. Derek sighs in frustration, walking straight past his Uncle, ignoring him. Now his sister's all wound up too. He doesn't bother going after her, they could both use some space from each other right now. Peter just watches the two of them walk away from each other, not giving any input at all.

..

Jessie manages to slip into her class' jog around the field without Coach Finstock noticing. She looks for Scott and Stiles, they're in this class with her. She finds Stiles, but no Scott. She catches up to Stiles and he sees her, nodding in greeting.

"I thought you went home?" Stiles asks her.

"I did." Jessie confirms but doesn't explain why she's back. "Where's Scott?" She asks. They all slow to a stop and Bobby instructs them to stretch. Jessie and Stiles just sit down on the grass, side by side, not caring about breathing exercises or muscular cramps right now.

"He needed to leave, wanted to go home and see Ash." Stiles says with a sad look. "He looked heart-broken, he shouldn't have come back to school. But he just wants to do well on these exams." Stiles sighs, rubbing his hands down his face stressfully, worried about both Scott and Ash.

"They're gonna be okay, you know that, right?" Jessie says to him. Stiles turns his head to look at her. "They'll get through this."

"I really hope you're right." Stiles says. Jessie smiles sadly, rubbing his arm gently with her thumb. Stiles smiles a little too but it's weak, sad, as well.

..

 _A couple days later_

Ash knows she's spiralled down since her Mom passed, smoking more than usual, taking off for hours at a time. It just hurts so goddamn much, Ash can't handle it for much longer. But now, she knows this grieving, depressive state of mind has gone too far.

She looks down at the bag of Oxycodone in her hand, light as a feather, but it's all she needs. It might not seem bad, but the pills have already been crushed up, made easier to snort or heat and inject. They're not for pain, they're to get high. And seeing the skevvy guy that sold it to her in the next town over, it's probably been cut with a bunch of other 'painkillers'. She opens the small baggie, looking down at the powder. Ash sighs and shakes her head. She doesn't even know why she brought this, there's no way she's putting it into her body, she's realised things are getting out of hand.

She jumps when there's a knock at the door.

"Uh..hold on." She says, rushing to close the bag and stash it behind the sofa cushion. She goes over to the door and opens it, hoping it doesn't show on her face how lost and confused she feels right now.

"Checking in." Derek says, standing on the other side of the door. Scott's asked him to check in with her every day while she's home, just to make sure she's not upset or anything. Scott knows how Ash can cave in on herself when she's alone, how bad her anxiety can get. Derek wouldn't say he's unhappy about being appointed this job, but he's not over the moon about it either, especially after Ash snapped at his sister yesturday.

"Yeah, well..I'm fine." Ash says, about to shut the door again so she can be by herself. And Derek would have let her, aside from the fact that's obviously a lie and there's something in the loft that makes his nose sting, something _strong_. His hand shoots out, stopping the door. He inhales, not sure what he's smelling but knowing it's a vague chemical type substance.

"What's that smell?" He asks, walking into the loft. Derek turns to look at her, waiting for an answer.

"I-I don't know..me? I haven't showered." She attempts to lie. Derek watches her for a moment, the way she won't meet his eyes, the way she scratches at her arm for no reason. She's nervous, and he sees right through it. He walks over to her, looking right at her.

"What am I smelling, Ash?" He asks her seriously. She sighs, pinching the bridge of her nose.

"I'm not gonna take it, I'm gonna get rid of it." Ash says.

"Get rid of what?" He asks her. Ash knows if he really wanted too, he could sniff it out and find it, and that would just make things worse. So, she goes over to the sofa, bringing the bag out. She looks down at the crushed powder, just enough for her to take and feel numb but high at the same time for a little while. She tosses it to Derek, feeling sick on the inside for even _considering_ taking drugs.

Derek frowns at it, opening it. All he has to do is smell it for the pieces to fit together is his mind. When he looks up at her, Ash looks down at her feet, ashamed.

"Jesus Christ, what the _hell_ were you thinking?!" He yells angerily, storming up to her.

"I wasn't." Ash says, refusing to look at him. She shys away from his raised voice, her head's already pounding as it is.

"What if Scott found this-"

"Are you gonna tell him?" Ash asks, looking up at him with worried eyes.

"That's not the point, Ash!" He scowls. "What if Jade was here and she got into this? She wouldn't know what it is!"

"I get it, okay? I-I screwed up." Ash says, bringing her hands up in front of her in hopes he'll stop yelling at her, because that's not helping, not at all. And Ash already hates the thought of Jade getting into it and what could happen.

"Do you get it?" Derek asks her. "Do you realise how stupid this was?!"

"Yes, I get it!" She explodes, because she already feels disgusting for buying it. She's not letting him make her feel worse because he doesn't like her, well, that's what Ash thinks it is. But it's not. Derek is genuinely angry that she's turned to drugs as an outlet, he really doesn't care about friendships right now, that's got nothing to do with it. He'd react the same with Scott or Stiles or any of them.

"Do you realise what this shit would do to you?" He asks her, his voice still angry. "Do you even care?!" He asks, because it really looks like she doesn't. That she doesn't care if she got hooked, or OD'ed. She just..she just doesn't seem to care, she's slipping into a hurt you can't pull yourself out of. "This could _kill_ you!" He snaps, trying to make her understand. But she does, oh, she does.

"I had _one_ moment of weakness! I'm sorry I can't be some cold-hearted bastard like you are!" Ash snaps at him. Derek has to walk away from her before he says or does something he'll regret. Her words did sting a little but he doesn't let it show.

Ash sits down on the sofa, wondering what the hell she was thinking, wondering what the hell she was doing. She runs her hands through her hair, her eyes wide as the seriousness of the situation sinks in. The seriousness of the _drugs_ she almost took sinks in.

Derek takes the bag into the bathroom. He drops it into the toilet and flushes it away with a murderous look. He's about to go back and lecture Ash, make sure she knows exactly how _wrong_ this all was. He's not her father, he's not Scott, but he did catch her, he can't just brush it off like it's nothing.

But, some of his anger melts away when he walks back into the room and sees her. Ash sits on the sofa, her knees up to her chest, trying not to cry but there's tears down her face because she already hates herself so much for this. And the thought of Scott or Jade finding it makes her sick to her stomach, she knows how much they would look down at her, how they'd be embarassed of her, how they would hate her too for being so weak, for turning to drugs. If she had eaten today, she would throw up.

Derek sighs, letting the lecture die in his throat. He walks over to her. He can smell the regret, the guilt and self-loathing coming from her. He crotches down beside her, so they're at the same level. He hesitantly puts his hand on her shoulder. The action makes her look up from her knees, looking up at him with red-brimmed swimming eyes.

" _Never_ again." He says in a voice that's much calmer than his from before, but it's still firm, still serious. "Or I go straight to Scott, okay?" He says. Ash nods quickly.

"I wasn't gonna take it, I promise." She sniffs. "I just..I don't know what I was doing." She tells him, needing to defend herself. She doesn't want Derek to think less or her than she thinks he already does.

Derek looks into those watery turqouise eyes and he does believe she changed her mind and she didn't intend to take it. But, she still sought it out, she still brought it home, that's why he's mad. She still went to drugs instead of her brother or someone else for emotional comfort.

"It hurts, I know. But you'll get through it." He tells her. She nods and he stands up, ready to leave her to her own thoughts, to let her figure this all out. Ash wipes the tears from her face and calls out to him, making him stop in the doorway.

"How long?" She asks him. Derek looks to his side but he doesn't turn to face her. "How long does it hurt?" She asks.

"I don't know." He says honestly. "I'm still counting days." He admits before walking out.

Ash sighs and leans back on the sofa. She scrubs the tears for her face, and then from her face. She shuts her eyes, rubbing them.

"What am I doing?" She asks herself in a weak whisper, looking down at her hands now. Her hand comes up to rub the gold heart locket around her neck, and she just feels that much worse. She sighs again, thinking of what her mother would have done having been the one that caught her out, not Derek.

 _Knock, knock, knock. Knock, knock, knock._

Ash frowns as she looks over at the door. She doesn't know that knock. She sniffs and wipes her eyes again before getting to her feet. She straightens herself up a little bit before answering the door.

"No, not now." Ash says, attempting to close the door in his face again.

"Yes, now." Rafael says, catching the door again. Ash is just too exhausted to fight. She lets the door go and walks over to the sofa, sitting back down. She doesn't even look up as Rafael and his new partner enter the loft. "We need to talk, Ash." Rafael says, sitting down on the sofa opposite the girl. Ash just picks at a thread on her trackpants, which she's practically lived in since her mother passed. She's being feeling _very_ down, so that's being shown on the outside too.

Rafael looks at his partner and then back to his daughter.

"This is Danielle." Rafael introduces her. "We've been together for a year." He says. Ash still doesn't say anything or look up, she just ignores them like they aren't even there. "Ash, this is important." He keeps trying but Ash isn't having any of it. "It's about your sister." He says. And only then do Ash's eyes travel up to look at her father.

"What about her?" Ash finally speaks. Rafael looks at this Danielle woman.

"Do you wanna?" He asks her. Danielle shakes her head, seeing this girl is very irritable already. Rafael turns back to face Ash. "After your mother-"

"Don't." Ash stops him already. "Don't pretend you care." She says.

"Okay.." Rafael nods. He'd like to yell at her for being so rude, but he does need to talk to her so he's holding that back. "Well, very recently, Danielle and I have been talking. And I'm worried about Jade, being with you while you're..unbalanced." He says.

"What?" Ash asks, her eyes narrowing.

"I think it's best Jade comes with me for awhile." Rafael says.

"No." Ash says simply. "That's not going to happen. She's staying with close family, she's safe, and she's being looked after. She's fine. She's not going anywhere with you." Ash shakes her head. This time Danielle does decide to speak up.

"Ash, I don't think you understand fully what we mean." She says.

"I don't care, get out." Ash says, standing up.

"Ash, just hold on." Rafael says, trying to stay calm himself

"I said, _get out_." Ash grounds out, pointing to the door. Rafael stands up. Danielle takes his hand in her's, standing up as well.

"Can you just look at these?" He asks her, holding out a bundle of printed documents. Ash snatches them from his hands. "When you have, call me and-"

"Get out!" Ash snaps, her temper getting dangerously close to tipping over. She's had a _terrible_ morning. She definitely didn't need this. She throws the papers to the coffee table as the two adults leave.

Ash tries to take deep breathes, she tries to stay calm. She shoves her mug of, now cold, coffee off the table, letting it spill over the floor. She refuses to break and cry again. She looks down at the stupid papers her father gave her. Her face falls when she realises what they are. She lets out a shaky sob. She stands up and goes into the kitchen. She climbs onto the counter, searching through the top cupboard. She sighs in relief to find what she was looking for. She takes the bottle of Jagermeister out and climbs back down.

She immediantly takes the top off and starts drinking. No, she definitely shouldn't have brought those drugs. But right now, she needs _something_. And it seems alcohol is that something.

..

..

 **Don't fret, these moments are the lowest for Ash, she won't get any worse. But, going through these sorts of things are very real possiblities, not saying everyone does go through them though. Anyway, favourite, follow and review!**

 ***P.S. I know I've mentioned it before (but as usual, I've been a slacker, sorry!) how would you feel about a Sons Of Anarchy style Teen Wolf mix-up fic? With Ash McCall of course, maybe Jessie Hale too? A friend of mine's girlfriend got me into the show not too long ago and I think I could make it work :) I'd love your opinion!**


	9. Pull Yourself Back Up

**Shout out to:**

 ***Serena Sterling: I liked there little, sort of but not really, moment of helping Ash out :) Rafael is being bad.. Okay, that's fine :) It's just an idea that's been on my mind lately :)**

 ***Amelia Mikaelhey: So do I! And if you hate him now, you're gonna hate him** _ **alot**_ **more in the future..just a heads up!**

 ***Tesla424: It's fine, review whenever :) I hope everything's okay though! I know, poor Melissa :( I'm glad you liked it because I liked writing it, it is darker than my usual stuff but this fic will go into some dark stuff now and then but I think it'll all work out and hopefully all the readers like it too :)**

 ***AlphaWolf19: It's not the baby, I promise :) That was a little stalker-ish for Scott, wasn't it? Thanks so much, that's so sweet :) Just review whenever you can, I don't mind :3 Let me know when you've caught up because I have a feeling that who really does die is going to shock you :P**

 **..**

Jessie comes home from school, finding her brother by that big window, brooding, as usual.

"Hey." She says. He glances at her.

"Hey." He says, looking away from her again. Jessie frowns, walking over to him.

"What's wrong with you?" She asks.

"Nothing." He says.

"Are you mad at me?" Jessie asks him. "Because of how I left earlier?" She asks, sitting down on the sofa and looking in his direction. Peter, from upstairs, pauses, listening to the two of them.

"No." Derek answers.

"Can you look at me for like, 2 seconds?" Jessie asks, getting sick of talking to the back of his head. Derek barely hears her, still looking out the window with so much on his mind, the murders, Melissa, Jessie being back, Peter. Jessie sighs and stands up.

"Asshole." She huffs under her breath. "I'm going across the hall again, I'll be back later." She says. Derek snaps out of it when Jessie drops her bag to the ground with a thud. She grabs her jacket as well.

"No, don't." Derek says, turning around now. Jessie's frown deepens.

"Why not?" She asks. "Scott asked you to keep an eye out on Ash. I can do that too." She says.

"She's going through some shit, just leave her alone for awhile." He tells her. Jessie sighs, knowing all of this already. "Just..just stay out of it, Jessie." He says. Jessie sighs again, dropping her jacket to the sofa with more force than necessary. Those aren't Derek's words, they're Peter's. And that makes Jessie _so_ mad, she's not letting her brother turn into Peter, no way in _hell_.

"Do you know who you sound like?" Jessie asks him. "The guy you killed. The guy that _should_ be dead." She says. "The guy _you_ -" She points at him accussively, her voice getting louder and angrier. "-let back into your home. The guy that killed our sister." She throws back in his face. She's not angry at him specifically, well, she is a little bit, but her anger for Peter is just spilling over now.

From upstairs, Peter stays still, listening to how Jessie lectures Derek about the kind of man Peter is, because Peter knows it's him that the younger girl is talking about. It doesn't take a rocket scientist to figure that one out.

Jessie snatches her jacket up again, heading for the door.

"Jessie, where are you going?" Derek asks her back as she walks away from him.

"To go look after someone that actually deserves it." She snaps, walking out the door. Derek sighs when the door slams shut behind her. He knows Jessie won't _ever_ forgive Peter, and he also knows she's going to upset about having him around for a long time too.

Peter shows himself now, stepping down the stairs.

"She's got quite the opinion about me." Peter says, alerting Derek of his presence. "And before you throw me againist another wall, I didn't do anything to her, I just heard all of that." He clarifies.

"Why are you here?" Derek asks him.

"Well, I could say for a lesson in dealing with teenaged girls but-"

"What the hell do you know about it?" Derek cuts him off, turning to him with a glare. "What would you have me do, huh? Rip her in half?" He asks, his temper getting the best of him.

"I told you, that was a mistake." Peter says, knowing Derek's talking about Laura.

"No, the only _mistake_ you made was showing us you were the alpha." Derek says bitterly before walking past Peter, bumping shoulders with him, as he goes upstairs to that room at the end of the hall. Derek won't ever forgive Peter for what he did to Laura either, but he's learning to put that to the side so the older man can help the pack, not that he ever really does. And that's Derek's mother's brother, that connection to his mother, even if Derek hates Peter, it still counts for something.

Peter exhales, trying to keep a lid on his own anger. He's getting really tired of Derek talking to him like that. But that isn't exactly fair, Peter makes his own bed everytime, provoking the alpha, pushing his buttons, bringing up things he knows will upset and hurt Derek, and Jessie. Peter does it to himself, he'd see that if he wasn't such a narcissist.

Ash can't even keep her eyes open properly. They're half-open and she just sits there, numbly, leaning againist the armchair from her spot on the floor. She's got her knees up and her arms resting on them, not that she can really feel her arms right now. She looks down at a loose thread on her trackpants again but she's too spaced out to actually move her hand and pick at it.

"Ash." There's a knock on the door, a familiar voice. But Ash doesn't move or say anything. She just looks at the door with hooded eyes. "Ash, I'm coming in." Jessie says. She waits a couple seconds before sliding the loft door open. Ash looks away from her, looking down at that thread again. "I was home, I wanted to check in." She says as she walks over. Scott was..Scott was _bad_ today. He skipped most of his classes, her and Stiles found him on the field, running laps, trying to hold his wolf back. He wouldn't talk to either of them. He cried silently as he shot goals, getting more and more aggressive. It's just been a bad day for the McCalls today. Jessie just wanted to see if she could help Ash considering she wasn't dumb enough to get close to Scott when he was like that.

Ash just nods slowly, not speaking because her lips are numb and not wanting to make herself dizzy by moving too much too quickly. Jessie frowns when she realises that's all Ash is going to provide as a reply.

"Hungry?" Jessie tries this again. Ash shakes her head. "I was gonna go down to the park, if you wanted to come?" She offers. Ash just shakes her head again. "Hey." Jessie says. "Ash, look at me." She says. Ash turns her head to look at Jessie. "Jesus..are you okay?" She says, seeing the completely dazed look on the girl's face. Ash doesn't answer that one. "Hey." She says, bringing her hand to Ash's head then her cheek. "You don't look so good, Ash." She says.

Ash wills her hand to move, pushing Jessie's hand away from her face. Jessie's frown deepens, she's worried about Ash.

"Just..wait right here, I'll be back." Jessie says, before briskly walking back to her own loft. She sees Peter and ignores him. "Derek?" She calls out, running up the stairs. She goes into the room at the end of the hall, rows and rows of book engulfing her trail of sight. "Derek?" She finds him easily enough, reading, distracting himself.

"I thought you were taking off?" Derek asks, not looking up from his book. His tone's a little sour too, he doesn't want to fight with Jessie, but he's not going to take her attitude either.

"I think there's something wrong with Ash." Jessie says, ignoring _his_ attitude. Derek pauses, his eyes shooting up to his younger sister. "She's pale..she won't talk to me." Jessie says. It takes one thought back to what happened this morning for him to get to his feet. He leaves the room, Jessie in tow, going downstairs.

"Stay here." He tells Jessie. She moves to follow him but he stops, grabbing her shoulders. "I said, _stay here_." He says in the voice that tells her she should listen. Jessie nods and he walks out of the loft.

"Trouble with the new friend?" Peter asks Jessie. But by his tone, he's not concerned, he's just trying to wind Jessie up, despite Derek's warnings.

"Shut up, asshole." Jessie snaps as a reply, not even looking at him.

Derek walks into the McCall loft, finding the girl sitting on the floor. He goes over to her, noticing she is paler than usual. He crotches down beside her.

"Ash?" He says, looking at her. She just looks away from him, not wanting to talk to him after what happened this morning. "Hey." He says, tapping her cheek. When she doesn't respond, he grabs her arm. He pulls her sleeve up, checking for track marks, making sure she hasn't shot herself up with anything. Because if she has, Derek might just kill her.

Ash makes an annoyed sound in the back of her throat, pulling her arm away from him. Derek looks up, seeing some life in her eyes finally.

"Ash?" He asks.

"Jesus, _what_?" She slurs, annoyed with everyone coming in and checking on her. She just wants to feel this numbness _alone_. When she opens her mouth, Derek's hit with a _strong_ scent of alcohol. His best guess? Jager, because it smells like aniseed. He sighs, realising she's not high, she didn't go back on what she said and take anything, she's just drunk. _Really_ drunk.

"Get up, you need to get in bed." He says, standing up. Ash doesn't move. Derek grabs her arm again, lifting her to her feet. She can't stand, she stumbles and trips and they're not even moving yet. "Come on." He says, getting frustrated. But she just wants to stay sitting down.

"Get off me." She says, pushing him away with an angry frown.

"Ash, _walk_." He tries to order but she's not having any of it. She stubbornly doesn't move. Before he can let himself get too frustrated, he just lifts her off her feet, deciding to carry her. He starts walking towards the stairs, the girl slumping againist him like jelly. "How much did you drink?" He asks, knowing he probably won't get an answer. And he doesn't, just a incoherant mumble.

He takes her upstairs, going into her room. He sets the girl down on her bed. She basically sinks into her bed, her limbs too drunken to move. Derek sighs and walks out, going back down the stairs. And that frustration just boils when he sees Jessie's come over.

"What did I just say to you?" He lectures. But she ignores him, frowning down at the pieces of paper in her hand. "Jessie?!" He snaps.

"Derek.." She says, looking up. She holds the papers out to him.

"You shouldn't be reading that, it's not your's." He says.

" _Derek_." She grounds out. "Look at it." She says, thrusting it back towards him. Derek blows out a breath, trying not to uncap the anger he feels right now. He takes the papers from her hand, looking down at them. He frowns, reading it. He looks up at Jessie. "I know." She sighs. "This is gonna crush them both." She says, the idea of Scott and Ash being torn into more than they already are is saddening for the girl slowly befriending them both and Stiles.

Derek rubs his hand down his face, knowing Jessie's right. This might just be what tips them both over the edge. And that's not a good thing.

..

Scott comes home later, after he's able to calm down enough to be safe around his sister. He walks into the loft, throwing his bag down beside the door and shutting. He looks up, pausing when he finds both Hale siblings sitting in his living room. For a moment, he thinks maybe he's in the wrong loft.

"What's going on?" Scott asks, walking over to them.

"You should read these." Derek says, pushing the papers towards him. Scott frowns and shakes his head.

"What?" He asks, confused. He looks around, realising the other person that actually lives here isn't here. "Where's Ash?"

"Upstairs, sleeping." Jessie says.

"It's daytime." Scott says.

"Yeah, and she tried to drown herself in Jagermeister." Derek says, tossing him the bottle. Derek doesn't mention the Oxy, because he said he wouldn't unless he caught her with drugs again. He sticks to his word. Scott catches it, tipping in upside down. Nothing comes out. Because it's empty.

"Shit." Scott sighs, rubbing his hand down his face. "Is she okay?"

"No, not really." Jessie says. "She's really hurting, Scott. Really badly." She says.

"I'll talk to her." Scott says, heading for the stairs.

"Scott." Derek says, standing up. Scott stops, turning to face the alpha. "You need to read those before you go see her." He says, pointing to the papers. Scott sighs and walks over to the coffee table. He picks them up, scanning his eyes over them. He quickly looks through a few of the pages. Jessie sees his face fall just like Derek's did when he realises.

"What the hell is this?" Scott asks, looking up at Derek.

"Best guess? Your Dad, he's the only other person able to do it." Derek says. Scott's face falls into a scowl.

"Did she see these?" Scott asks, looking between them both.

"I'm pretty sure, yeah." Jessie nods. "I think it's what caused..that." She says, gesturing to the empty dark green bottle.

"Go." Scott says, feeling his anger bubble up again.

"Scott?" Jessie says, seeing his chest rise and fall faster than usual.

"Jessie, get out." Derek says, seeing Scott's about to explode. "Jessie, go!" He says, slowly moving closer to Scott. Jessie gets up, backing towards the door. "Scott." He says but Scott's just looking at Jessie, seeing a human, someone weaker, a _target_. " _Scott_." Derek grounds out when the younger male refuses to look away from his sister.

Scott gives into his wolf, his hurting and angry wolf. But the second he moves towards Jessie, Derek slams into him, pinning the younger wolf to the ground. His eyes turn red and he roars angerily right in Scott's face, forcing him to back down. He was _not_ letting the emotional wolf get anywhere near Jessie.

Jessie watches with wide eyes, still not even out the door yet.

And then the strangest thing happens. Scott shifts back and starts to cry, curling up and shying away from both of them. Derek keeps him pinned, not trusting him, and being too angry still to let him go.

"Derek..let him go." Jessie says, taking a careful step forward. The alpha's still fuming though. "Derek!" Jessie says, louder. Derek lets Scott go, getting to his feet. Once Derek's able to pull his own wolf back, once he's over by Jessie and can see she's absolutely fine, he realises how broken Scott really is, how broken Ash is too.

The wolf, now a boy again, whimpers, crying in the middle of the floor.

"Ring Stiles." Derek says to Jessie. She nods and backs the rest of the way out of the loft. Derek slowly walks over to Scott. He crotches down beside him. "Scott." He says.

"I-I..I'm s-sorry." He says shakily, he can't believe he was going to hurt his friend. He was just hurting already and then reading those papers..he just snapped, and she was right there.

"Come on, get off the floor." Derek says, standing back up. Yes, he's angry Scott was going to hurt Jessie, but he does understand. He went through all the same motions when he was Scott's age, after the fire. He understands. Scott sniffs and pulls himself to his feet. He stumbles a little but finds his footing. Derek catches his arm, keeping him steady.

"I think you-you dislocated my shoulder." Scott says. Derek looks at it, and yes, he definitely did.

"On 3." He says, knowing it's the only way it's going back. Scott nods. "1, 2-" Derek barely gets to 2 before he jams it back into place. Maybe that was a little bit about revenge for him setting Jessie in his sights. Scott grits his teeth, letting the pain pass. Scott sits down on the sofa, sighing into his hands.

"Stiles is on his way over." Jessie says. Scott looks past his fingers, looking over at the girl.

"Jessie..I'm sorry." Scott says.

"It's okay." Jessie says, stepping into the loft again. Derek's right there, watching Scott's every move so she knows she's safe. Besides, the younger wolf looks exhausted now, he doesn't have any fight left in him. She comes to stand beside her brother.

"What am I gonna do?" Scott asks them, even though he knows they don't have the answers. "I can't let them take her." He says. "Ash won't let them. It's gonna get loud and messy." He says. Both Hales can't provide anything because they don't know what to say. Scott picks up the papers again, reading the beginning.

 _Family Court_

 _Change In Guardianship Of: Jade May McCall_

 _From: Melissa McCall_

 _To: Rafael McCall and Danielle King_

"I can't let this happen." Scott sighs, covering his face with his hand again as tears fill his eyes. He really didn't expect to come home to this. "They can't have her."

..

Ash wakes up, dizzy and disorientated. Her head and stomach hurts. She sighs, remembering why she got so drunk. And she knows she's going to have to tell Scott. She pulls herself off her bed. She makes her way downstairs, to get a glass of water. She stops at the bottom of the stairs, finding Scott and Stiles asleep on the sofas.

She walks over to Scott, shaking him gently. He jolts awake, looking up at her.

"Hey." Scott says, sitting up properly. "Are you okay?" He asks her, seeing the bags under her eyes and the sick look on her face, she's definitely hungover. "Jesus, you look like shit, Ash." He says, touching the back of his hand to her forehead.

"Scott..we need to talk." Ash says, sitting down beside him. Scott stops, letting his hand fall from her face. He nods, a sad look covering his face now.

"I already know." Scott says. "Derek and Jessie, they..they found the papers and showed them to me." He says.

"I..I'm so sorry, Scott." Ash says. "I had _no_ idea until he came here yesturday."

"I know." Scott nods. His hand comes to Ash's back, rubbing gently. "It's not your fault."

"It is my fault, I have to look after you and Jade." Ash objects. "They're not taking her." She says.

"Ash..we need to be realistic." Scott says.

"No, don't.." Ash says, standing up.

"No, I know. I don't want this as much as you do. But these murders? It's dangerous here-"

"We can keep her safe." Ash cuts him off.

"He's her father, he has legal right." Scott says.

"No, he doesn't." Ash shakes her head. "And you know what? Fuck you for not fighting harder for this." She says.

"Hey, hey, guys." Stiles yawns, waking up to them arguing and Ash swearing.

"I want to fight, but you can't fight the law, Ash." Scott says. Because, as he showed last night, he doesn't want his Dad and whoever the hell Danielle is to take Jade from them. But they can't excuse the fact that Rafael is her biological father.

"Watch me." Ash says, grabbing her handbag off the coffee table.

"Ash, c'mon, wait-" Stiles tries but Ash has already slammed the door shut behind her. It propells in her head, drumming her hangover. But she doesn't care. They're not taking her Jade away from her, no way in hell. There's no way some woman they don't even know is going to help raise Jade with the man that never wanted her in the first place. _No_. _Way_.

..

..

 **Rafael is seeking guardianship but Ash is having absolutely** _ **none**_ **of that! Favourite, follow and review!**


	10. Consequences

**This is the sort of chapter where you'll see I've dipped into another programme for their ideas and plots because they fit well with my fic :) Or of course, I just really like it! But, of course, I don't own any of it!**

 **Sorry I didn't update as usual, crazy day for me!**

 **Shout out to:**

 ***Serena Sterling: He is! And he gets even worse! Thanks :)**

 ***Susana: I know, right? But yes, her death plays heavily into the supernatural creature tormenting Beacon Hills. And, of course, the McCalls will want some revenge! Thanks!**

 ***Tesla424: I know, poor girl :( But she's going to get a little revenge of her own this chapter :P**

 **..**

"How may I help you?" The woman asks as Ash, _finally_ , gets to sit down with a family court worker.

"Hi, I need to know how to over-right an application to becoming the new guardians of a 1 and a half year old child." Ash says.

"Oh..okay." The woman, her tag reads 'Marilyn', says. She turns to her computer, typing something in. "So, this child-"

"Her name's Jade May McCall, she's 18, almost 19, months old and she's my little sister." Ash fills in before Marilyn can ask.

"And who are you looking to over-right as guardian?" She asks Ash.

"Her father." Ash says. The woman's fingers slow and she drops her hands to her desk. Ash sees and frowns. Marilyn turns to face her properly now. "What?"

"You want the application for her father to be declined?" Marilyn asks.

"Yes, but you don't understand." Ash says. "My mother's just passed, she was Jade's guardian. My father wants to take her away and raise her with some lady we don't even know-"

"It sounds like your father wants to take care of his daughter-"

"No, he doesn't." Ash interrupts her. "You don't know my father. He walked out on us before Jade was born, he only meet her for the first time _days_ ago. He's not taking her."

"I don't think that's something you can control."

"No, he can't, alright? He's _bad_ news for her." Ash stresses.

"If he's never been convicted with domestic abuse or an offence relating to the harm of the child, he can legally take her. He's her father." Marilyn says, seeing Ash is getting angry and upset.

"No, no, _please_." Ash begs.

"I'm sorry, if you want to fight this, you need to go to court with a case. I can't help you." Marilyn says. Ash sighs, running her hands through her hair. "Do your research and give me a call if anything changes." Marilyn says, handing Ash her private card. She can see this issue is really worrying the younger girl, but there are processes and rules for a reason. Marilyn knows she has to follow them, even if she wants to help.

"Okay, thank you." Ash nods. She takes the card and gives Marilyn a weak smile. Ash stands up and starts making her way out of the building.

She gets to her car. She unlocks it, tossing her handbag, with the card securely inside because she might be making that call, on the seat. She blows out a breath, leaning againist her car. She rubs her eyes with her hands, her head still pounds softly, she's still feeling dehydrated. Ash looks up and sees _her_ , and her blood just boils.

"Stupid bitch." Ash mutters under her breath. She barely registers what she's doing until she's done it. Everything falls into place too easily for Ash to stop herself. Danielle's walking in her direction, not realising Ash is actually standing there. Ash sees a teenaged boy skateboarding past. He trips up, his board stopping as he stumbles forward. Ash really means to help the kid up, she does. But then Danielle's too close and the skateboard is right there.

So, instead, Ash grabs the board and swings. Danielle falls to the ground, holding her hand over her nose as blood spills from it.

"Oh my god!" She exclaims, looking up at Ash with wide eyes. "What are you doing? Why did you do that, Ash?" She asks. People start to surround them and Ash's face drops as she realises what she just did. No, she doesn't regret it, it did make her feel better, but she probably should have given it a second thought..or a first.

Ash sighs, dropping the skateboard. She sits down on the sidewalk, hanging her arms over her knees. There's no use in trying to run. Danielle knows who she is and there's at least 3 witnesses. So, she sits and she waits for a cop to arrive and take her away.

..

"What were you thinking, Ash?" John asks, standing outside the cell Ash is locked in.

"Her name's Danielle. She's with my Dad." Ash says. She sits on the uncomfortable bed with her knees up. She looks down at her hands, not wanting to meet John's eyes and see disappointment, not from him, that would hurt too much right now. "They came to my place yesturday and gave me these papers. Adoption papers, for Jade." She says, a frown coming to her face as she looks down at her hands still. "Change the guardianship from Mom to him and his girlfriend."

John stops pacing and turns to face the girl properly.

"What?" He asks.

"Rafael wants to take Jade and raise her with Danielle." Ash says. "They were trying to split up my family and I..I couldn't bottle that rage, not this time." She says, remembering back to when Melissa asked her to stash away the rage she felt for her father, just for a little while.

"Ash.." John sighs, leaning againist the bars of her cell. "You can't just lash out like that. You could have seriously hurt her."

"I know." She nods, still not looking at him. "I'm sorry."

"Don't apologise to me-"

"No, I need too. I let you down, again." Ash says. John frowns, looking at the girl before him. "Everytime I ended up here, I let you down and for that, I'm sorry."

"Hey..it's okay." John says. "Just stop, alright? I don't want to see you in here again." He says. Ash smiles a little but still won't look at him. "Can I get you anything? Something to eat? Water?" He asks her. Just because she's being detained doesn't mean they won't feed her.

"I'd love a smoke." Ash says, glancing up at him from under her lashes. John sighs softly but nods. He digs past his belt, with his gun, handcuffs, etc, and into his own pants pocket. Ash raises an eyebrow in surprise when a packet of Winstons come out in his hand.

"I don't really smoke, just on the odd occasion." He justifies. "Don't tell Stiles." He says, holding a cigarette out to hr through the bars. Ash chuckles and stands up, walking over to him and taking it. She puts it to her lips and John lights his almost empty lighter, lighting it for her.

"Don't worry, Sheriff." Ash says with a small smirk. She takes a drag from the cigarette, revealing in it's different flavour compared to her favourites, Malboros. "You're secret's safe with me." Ash tells him. John smiles a little, grateful for that because Stiles is so set on making him overly-healthy, he'd kill him if he knew he had a smoke or two here and there.

"Looks like you've got visitors." John says, seeing the small group coming down the hall from the window in the doors..

"Don't let him in." Ash says, knowing it's Scott. " _Please_. I don't want Scott to see me like this." She says, still looking down in shame. "Just send him home, please, John." Ash says, blowing out her mouthful of smoke.

"Okay." John nods. He slips out the door, pulling it shut behind him. He stands in front of the doors, blocking the group of Scott, Stiles, Jessie, Isaac and even Derek, from getting in. "You can't go in there." He tells them.

"John, it's Ash. I have to see her." Scott says.

"She doesn't want any of you in there, especially you." John says, looking at Scott.

"Dad..just let us through, we'll deal with the backlash." Stiles says.

"No..no, I'm sorry." John shakes his head. Scott sighs and sits down on the floor, leaning againist the wall. "What are you doing, Scott?" He asks.

"I'm staying until they let her out." Scott says.

"So am I." Stiles says, sitting down with Scott.

"That could be a couple days." John says. Isaac leans againist the wall. Jessie sits down alongside Stiles. And of course, if Isaac and Jessie are staying, Derek is too. He leans againist the wall as well. John sighs, realising they're all wanting to stay. He turns and locks the door so they can't get in while he goes back to his duties. He squeezes Scott's shoulder as he passes him.

..

Ash is grateful for the quiet as the sun goes down. It's quiet here, it's getting dark, she's alone. She needs to be alone, to process everything that's been going on. Her Mom, her Dad..she needs this time to think.

"Ash?" Scott says from where he's leaning againist the locked doors. Ash looks up with a confused frown. It's dead quiet so she hears him well, only a thin door between them.

Well, she _thought_ she was alone. She should have known Scott wouldn't just leave her here.

"Ash, can you hear me?" He says when she doesn't respond.

Ash keeps her mouth shut, picking at her fingernails. Scott can hear her heartbeat, it's not even, she's not asleep, she's ignoring him.

"Listen, you can't do that. Hurting her like that..it wasn't smart." Scott says. "I always knew you had a temper, but shit, Ash, really? A skateboard?" He says. Ash can't help the chuckle that leaves her lips. And all of them hear it too.

"Shit." She sighs, knowing he would have heard her. "It happened so fast, I didn't realise what I'd done until I'd done it." Ash admits, looking over at the doors dividing them.

"Parrish said Danielle's not pressing charges." Stiles says. Ash frowns again, hearing a second voice.

"Jesus Christ, who else is here with you, Scott?" Ash asks with a sigh. It's bad enough Scott's here, and now he's got people with him? That's exactly what Ash wanted, _exactly_. Please, do note the sarcasm.

"Me." Jessie says.

"Me." Isaac says.

"Yeah." Derek says. Ash sighs, realising they're _all_ here, aside Peter.

"Really, Scott? You had to drag them all into this too?" Ash asks him.

"Hey, they wouldn't still be here if they didn't want to be." Scott says. Ash snorts at the idea of Derek, and maybe even Isaac, wanting to be here. "You were right, about me not fighting hard enough for this." Scott says, his voice serious again.

"No, I wasn't. I was being an asshole." Ash admits. "I went to the Family Court office earlier..they can't help us. Not unless I go to court." She sighs.

"I'm sorry." Scott says, leaning as far back againist the door as he can.

It's close to awkward, because they can all hear the McCall's family business, but right now, they don't care. They just don't want to lose Jade.

"What about guardianship?" Isaac speaks up. Scott looks over at him. "After my Dad died, Derek took me in, signed off on some guardian papers." He tells them. Derek looks down a little shyly, the way Isaac said it..he sounded so grateful that Derek took him in. Derek's not used to having people feel that way towards him.

"But that's what my Dad and his girlfriend are doing." Ash says. "They're trying to take Jade under their guardianship since my Mom.." She trails off, not saying the word, but they understand what she means. Derek looks up now, realising what Isaac is getting at.

"Why don't you apply for guardianship?" Derek asks her. It falls quiet and for a moment Derek thinks he's said something he shouldn't.

"He's right." Scott says. Scott gets to his feet, turning to look through the little window over at where he can see Ash sitting in her cell. "Ash, you should apply to take Jade."

"Like..as my kid?" Ash asks, looking up but keeping her eyes on the wall in front of her.

"Yeah." Scott nods. "You're like a mother to her anyway, you could do this, I'd help you."

"We all would." Stiles throws in. For the first time in a while, a proper smile comes to Ash's face.

"You think they'd give her to me after what I did today?" Ash asks.

"If she didn't file a charge, it won't be on your perminant record." Derek says, speaking from his own experience.

"How do you know that?" Scott asks, turning to face the alpha.

Derek doesn't answer, he acts like he didn't hear the question. Jessie glances at him, meeting his eyes. She remembers all the stupid crap her brother would do when he was in his teens and she was a little girl in pigtails. Derek looks at her and away again, knowing exacly what she's thinking and remembering.

"Okay." Ash nods, part of her wondering why Derek didn't answer as well. "I'll make some calls, see what that will take." She decides. "Hey, it's getting pretty late. You should all go home." Ash says.

"We're okay." Scott says.

"No, c'mon. Please, Scott. Go." Ash says. "I just wanna be by myself for the night." She says. Scott exhales through his nose before nodding. Ash hasn't once looked at him and met his eyes, she's really scared to see disappointment in them.

"Okay then." Scott says and Ash sighs in relief that he listened. "I'll come back tomorrow after school and check in with John, see what we can do."

"Okay." Ash says. Scott looks to the rest of the pack and they get up, ready to leave with him. Scott walks out first, Stiles with him. "Derek?" She calls out. His ears pick it up. He stops, letting the others leave. He goes over to where Scott just was. He looks in the window, seeing the girl sitting in her holding cell. Ash swallows before looking up and looking at him. "Just make sure Scott's okay for me." She says. He nods and then leaves.

Ash lets out a breath, laying down on the bed. She knows she's not going to sleep tonight, but she doesn't mind. As long as she knows someone's looking after Scott while she's locked up.

..

..

 **Oopsie-daisy! Ash lost it for a moment there. I love the idea of Derek being a huge troublemaker in his youth, I don't know why, I just think it suits his character alot :) Favourite, follow and review!**


	11. Getting Out

**Shout out to:**

 ***Tesla424: It does, doesn't it? And yes, thanks god!**

 ***Guest: I can see you're getting antsy! I must say, Ash and Derek are a slower burn than Jessie and Stiles but once they are a thing, they're not so slow, if that makes sense. I won't give away anything else :) Here's your update!**

 **..**

Jessie and Derek walk out of the McCall loft, leaving Scott inside with Stiles. As promised to Ash, Derek checked in with Scott and made sure he was okay, to the degree of 'okay' someone in his position can be. But, Stiles decided he'd stay with Scott so the wolf didn't have to be alone.

It's obvious that Scott is upset. He wants to be with Ash, either at home, or him with her at the station. But Ash didn't want that, she needed some time to herself for a minute or two. Noone can blame her for that, she's had a hard few days, her and Scott both have.

"Scott's heartbroken, Derek." Jessie says, stopping. Derek stops as well, turning to face his younger sister. "He needs something."

"I know." Derek nods. "He needs his sister."

"Yeah, well that seems to be a problem right now." Jessie sighs. "Did she really hit that lady in the face with a skateboard?" Jessie asks him, trying not to smile because it's not funny but..it kind of _is_ funny.

"I don't know Ash _too_ well, but she'd do anything for her family." Derek says, knowing that much is true about the girl.

"Even smashing someone in the face with a skateboard?" Jessie asks, raising her eyebrows.

"Yeah." Derek nods. "Honestly? She'd do alot more." He says, knowing that's true as well.

"I wish there was something we could do to help." Jessie says with a small frown, because she really would help if she could.

Derek pauses, his mind coming up with an idea that surprises him because he and Ash don't get along so why would he think of helping her? But, he also knows that's a little harsh because Ash still helped out with research and hacking for _his_ pack when the first dead body came up. She _still_ helped, despite her negative feelings towards him. So? He can do the same.

"I think there is." Derek says, more to himself.

"What?" Jessie asks him.

"Nothing." He shakes his head. "Let's go home."

..

Ash is barely napping when she hears the door unlock. She was right, she didn't sleep. And if she did manage to drift off, it was for no more than an hour at a time. She sits up, seeing John. The sun's up and shining now, filling the cell with warming sunshine, it's past morning, entered into the PM by now.

"Time's up, kid." John says, coming in and unlocking her cell too.

"What? Really?" Ash asks, surprised. She thought she'd be in here at least another night.

"Yeah, you made bail." John says. He puts a hand to her back, opening the doors for her as they walk through them.

"What?" She asks again. "Who paid my bail?" She asks.

"Just sign here." John says, passing her a clipboard and a pen. Ash nods and scribbles her messy signature. "Your ride's waiting." He says. Ash frowns, still confused. "Like I said last night, I don't want to see you in here again." John says. Ash nods, starting to head towards the door.

"Hey, John." She says. John looks up. She blows him a kiss and gives him a soft smile. He smiles back and she pushes the door open, going outside.

Okay. She _really_ didn't expect this. Not at all.

" _You_?" Ash asks, looking at the man in front of her, dressed in jeans, a grey tee and his signature leather jacket. Derek avoids looking her in the eye, trying to brush it off to nothing. "You paid my bail?" She asks, completely surprised by this. She'd have thought Derek would have gotten a kick out of her sitting in a cell for days.

"It's not like any of them could." He says. "And Scott needs you, so.." He says, trying to dull down the massive favour he just did for her. "C'mon, I don't have all day." He says, getting into the car. Ash rolls her eyes, but it's fondly, as she opens the door.

She's about to get into the Camaro but stops when she sees _her_ walking in her direction, walking straight over to her. Ash slams the door shut, stepping out from beside the car a little bit.

But Danielle is here to see Ash, so she's not turning around and walking away.

Derek sees the woman and thinks nothing of it. Until he realises Ash hasn't gotten into the car yet and she's wearing a _very_ angry glare on her face. Then he notices the tape over the woman's nose, and it clicks. Derek gets out. He's not refereeing a skateboard girl-fight outside the police station. No, thank you. He doesn't want to spend the night in a cell, he's done that enough times already.

"Ash-" Derek warns her, not liking where this is heading.

"Shut up, Derek." Ash says, not turning to him. This is _her_ business, she needs to deal with it. Derek sighs, staying by his door, leaning againist it, just in case he has to get involved. He frowns with annoyance too. He didn't just waste that money bailing her out for her to be thrown straight back in.

"I just wanted to apologise." Danielle says, stopping in front of Ash. Ash looks at the bruising under both her eyes and over her nose, which is taped up and swollen red.

" _You_ 're apologising?" Ash questions. No, Ash isn't going to apologise for smashing her in the face, but she doesn't understand why Danielle's apologising.

"Coming to your home like we did, that should have been handled better." Danielle says. "It wasn't fair to throw that news on you like that." She says. And for a second, Ash feels bad for hurting her like she did. For a _second_ , because then Danielle ruins it. "But, me and Raf are taking Jade." Danielle says. Derek's eyes flick to Ash, seeing the girl clench her fists at her sides. But Ash doesn't move to advance on the woman so he stays put. She's not spending another night in the cell, she misses her own bed. But Ash's still debating if punching this woman in the mouth and shutting her up is worth another visit to the cells or not. "And we're going to do it all properly, legally, we're just waiting for a court date. I know you think you can look after her but you can't-"

"You have _no_ idea what I can do, what I would do, for Jade." Ash cuts her off, stepping forward. Her voice is calm, but it's a calm that is obviously her just trying not to snap and yell. Derek stands up properly now, watching Ash closely. "I hope, for your sake, you come to your senses really quick. Because Rafael will take what he wants and leave you, just like he did with his family. As for what I can do? I helped raise Scott, and I raised that baby when Rafael left. So don't you _dare_ tell me I can't look after her." Ash is actually proud she didn't yell or physically hurt her.. _again_. But the lid Ash is keeping on her anger is wearing thin, _fast_.

"We'll see what the court has to say about that." Danielle says with a fake smile, crossing her arms over her chest. Derek's eyes flicker between the two woman. It's _very_ obvious that statement just angered Ash even more.

"Yeah, we will, because I'll be there." Ash tells her. "If you want to come after my family, go ahead, _try_." She says. She takes a step closer to the woman, so they're right in each other's faces. "But if you hurt them, a broken nose will the _last_ of your problems." She warns her, a scowl coming to her face.

"Ash." Derek says, seeing the girl is quickly losing the cool she's trying to keep. " _Ash_." He says, firmer, when the girl doesn't move.

"I'd like to see you try." Danielle taunts her. "Becuase we _will_ be taking Jade from you." And that makes Ash snap. She tightens her hand into a fist, intending to knock the older woman right on her ass. But Derek catches Ash's wrist, having known from the second that left Danielle's mouth that Ash was _definitely_ going to hurt her.

"We're leaving." Derek says, looking at Ash. But the angry girl is only glaring at Danielle, paying Derek no mind.

"If you come anywhere _near_ Jade, I'm gonna hurt you." Ash promises her. Her hand moves again, wanting _so_ badly to punch her, do _something_ , but Derek's grip tightens and he doesn't let it happen, he doesn't even let her budge.

"Ash, _don't_." He warns her.

Ash maintains angry eye contact with Danielle for a few more seconds before allowing Derek to move her away from the woman.

"C'mon." Derek says.

"Get off me." Ash sighs, no real anger in her voice anymore because she's not mad at Derek, pulling away from him. Derek sighs as well, not looking forward to being in a closed-in space with the angry, hot-headed female.

Derek's eyes flick to Danielle for a moment then to Ash. He waits until she's in the car before he goes over to his own door. He glances back over at Danielle, finding she's still there, just looking at Ash, obviously trying to provoke her like she thrives off the reactions she was getting from the younger woman.

"Are you done?" Derek asks her, his own voice not friendly either. Danielle looks away from Ash, looking at him now.

"Yeah." She nods. Derek grabs his door handle but stops when he hears her voice again. "Keep your dog on a leash next time." Danielle says under her breath as she turns and walks away. But, of course, Derek's wolf ears hear it.

Derek finds himself holding back some of his own insults. That was uncalled for, Danielle provoked Ash, _on purpose_. And Derek's not exactly fond of dog jokes, Stiles knows that first-hand. But he lets it go, because it's not his business. And Ash can handle herself, clearly. He gets into the car, pulling out onto the road.

The two adults are quiet as they drive. Ash taps her fingers on her knee, trying to calm herself down. Derek glances at her, able to hear her heart hammering in her chest with anger. The silence between them is thick and suffocating, unasked and unanswered questions sit between them. Ash has to break it.

"You got a smoke?" She asks him. Derek glances at her and Ash takes that as a no. But Derek reaches over and opens the glovebox. Ash's frown turns to a smile as she sees a packet. She takes one and finds a lighter, lighting it before putting it back. "I didn't think you smoked." She attempts to make conversation as she blows her smoke out the open window.

"Old habits die hard, I guess." Derek says, taking one out for himself. Ash gets the lighter for him, touching the flame to the end of his cigarette. He meets her eyes for a moment, giving her a thankful nod, and then looks to the road. Ash closes the glovebox and it falls quiet again as they drive down the streets, smoking out their windows.

It's quiet, all the way back to the loft. And it's quiet as they walk up the stairs together too. It isn't until they're about to part ways does Ash speak again.

"Hey." She says, grabbing his arm. Derek stops and Ash quickly lets him go, thinking she's done something wrong. "Thank you. You..you didn't have to do that today." She says. "Any of it." She adds quieter, knowing Derk could have left Ash to 'work things out' with Danielle by herself, but he stuck around.

"Yeah, I did." He says. Derek couldn't just leave her in there, knowing he could get her out. And Derek knows Scott needs his big sister right now, so there's that too. And he wasn't about to let her beat someone outside the cop station, and ruin her chances of keeping Jade.

Neither of them know what to say after that so he goes to his loft and she goes to her's.

"Mama's home." Ash smiles widely, finding Scott and Stiles in the living room. Both of their eyes shoot up, they were getting ready to go check in with her. It's Scott that gets to her first, hugging her tightly. Stiles comes in next, hugging her whole-heartedly and patting her back. Ash is actually very thankful of what Derek did for her, because she hasn't seen Scott smile the way he is right now in awhile.

..

 _The next day_

Derek contacts everyone, calling another pack meeting. Ash has just gotten out of the shower when she gets the message so she quickly changes. She towel-dries her hair messily and throws on black jeans and a red singlet.

Scott and Stiles wait downstairs for her, so they can walk over together. Ash bounds down the stairs, shooting her towel into the hamper in the laundry. The three of them leave Ash's loft, going across the hall.

Scott goes over to Derek. He sticks his hand out. Derek looks confused but takes it. Scott shakes it firmly, clapping Derek over the shoulder.

"Thanks, for what you did for Ash." Scott says. Derek nods. Scott lets his hand go and goes over to where Jessie's doing study of her own. Stiles claps Derek over the shoulder as well with a smile, in thanks. Derek's certainly not used to all these thanks and praise.

He looks up, seeing Ash. She gives him a small smile before looking away again. Peter and Isaac come downstairs. That pretty much signals the pack meeting to begin so they all settle in the living area.

"Stiles, what did you find out?" Derek asks, looking to the human boy. With all the crazy that went on with Ash, they almost forgot there's something killing people. Ash and Scott, of course, didn't forget, but it did slip all of their minds for a moment.

"Kennedy's cause of death, blood loss." Stiles says, dropping the hospital reports his Dad had, which he then swiped then scanned and copied, on the table. "Tears along his stomach, neck..he bled out in seconds." He says. Scott and Ash share a look, neither really wanting to speak up. Scott decides to though, seeing as Ash has had a shakier couple days.

"We uh..we have this." Scott takes the lead, holding the file with their mother's name on the tab. "It's our Mom's." He says.

The loft falls quiet and noone's sure what to say about that. There's the curiousity due to what they're doing now, looking into all the deaths, but there's also grief, sorrow and empathy, naturally.

"We haven't looked at it." Scott breaks the silence again, frowning. The reality that their mother was apart of these horrible deaths sinking in for both of the McCalls again. Scott hands the folder over to Derek. "I'd like if you waited until we left before you looked at it though." He says, speaking for himself and Ash.

"Yeah, of course." Derek nods in understanding. He looks away from the two McCalls, seeing them both frowning sadly, looking to all the pack to address them all. "We don't know what we're dealing with yet. Just watch out, be careful. If you smell wolf, if you see anything strange, you call me or Peter." Derek instructs them. They nod. Ash's phone starts ringing and all eyes fall to her. She looks down, feeling awkward that she's interuppted the pack meeting. She looks down at the caller ID and her face falls. She doesn't move, doesn't answer, doesn't hang up, unsure what to do.

"Ash?" Scott says, nudging her gently. She looks up at him and he frowns at her, wondering why she's just stopped. "Your phone." He reminds her.

"Oh. Sorry, I..I have to take this." She says. She slips out the loft door and into the hall as she answers it, purposely ignoring all the pack's eyes. "What?" She asks her father, having seen his name and number on her phone screen moments ago.

"I've been trying to call Scott, he won't answer." Rafael says. "I've been trying to contact you as well, no answer."

"I wonder why." Ash says sarcastically. The pack meeting must be over because Stiles comes out with his keys in his hand and Scott comes out too. Stiles squeezes her shoulder as he passes her and she smiles in return. Scott stops beside her but Ash just nods for him to go ahead. He nods and goes into their loft, giving her privacy to her phone call, unaware of who's on the other side of the line.

"Ash, what you did to Danielle was wrong. You're lucky she didn't press charges." Rafael says.

"Yeah, I'm aware of the nefariousness of it." She sighs.

"I know she talked to you-"

"I'm sure she told you _all_ about it." Ash scoffs.

"What she said is true, we are taking Jade, right after we go through the court."

"Why? You didn't want her? Why do you want her now?" Ash asks him, her voice coming out a little snappish.

"I shouldn't really be telling you this, it's personal, but Danielle can't have kids. We were going to adopt, but I thought with the circumstances, Jade would be better off with us." Rafael says. Ash scoffs.

"Well, you're wrong. She's fine with me, she's _safe_ with me. And I'll never run-out on her." Ash says.

"That's in the past, Ash-"

"I don't care. I won't let you take Jade away from us, that's a promise." Ash says before hanging up. Ash sighs and sits down on the ground, leaning againist the wall. She huffs out a frustrated breath, slamming her fist into the ground. But that was stupid because she just feels a vicious ache snake up her hand.

Derek looks up, hearing a bang. He walks out of his loft, looking up and down the hall. His eyes fall to the girl sitting on the ground with reddened knuckles and a 'shoot me' look on her face.

"Ash?" Derek says, slowly walking over to her. It doesn't take a wolf to see something's wrong with her, upsetting her, and not just about her mother. Ash looks up at him upon hearing his voice.

"I'm fine." She says before he can even ask. She doesn't want to treated like a china doll, she is strong, she may be only finding that strength again now but she doesn't want anyone's pity. Little does she know, Derek wasn't offering, he really was just checking on her. He knows how all this works, as morbid as that is, he knows. And he was the same with every adult that would try to hug him and tell him how sorry they were, he hated it. He didn't want their pity or their charity. Just like Ash doesn't. But, they all need some help in the beginning, to get out of that rut.

"Well, that was convincing." Derek says sarcastically but not offensively. She glares at him but it's got close to no malice. Derek's still looking at her for some kind of explaination, he's seen her face some scary things, and he knows she's upset about her mother, but something's different here..something's not right, he knows part of it is about her Dad but he doesn't know too much about that either. But Ash doesn't want to talk about her father with him, or anyone, so she goes to her default. She turns her sad emotions into snark.

"Oh, okay, come here, Derek." She says, making her voice soft but the sarcasm is still clear as she stands up. "I'm just gonna lay my head gently on your shoulder." She says. Derek sighs, realising what she's doing. He's seen Stiles do it a thousand times, it's a defense mechanism. "Maybe we can cry together, or hug. Maybe even slow dance. Hell, we might as well eat ice-cream and PMS together."

"Does this sarcastic crap usually work for you?" Derek asks, not missing a beat. He sees right through her, he sees she's hurting and she's trying to cover it up. But that doesn't work anywhere near as well on wolves as it does on humans. He can see it in her eyes. He can feel it heavy, just from being in her presence. Something's upsetting her, alot. At least he's starting to see some of the old her again, that snark, the sarcasm, that's classic Ash.

"Usually." Ash mutters, realising it hasn't worked on him.

"What's going on with you?" He asks her, knowing there's more to this sad song than just Melissa. Ash lets out a single dry huff of flat laughter.

"Thanks for the concern." She says with a little sincerity but not enough to be grateful. "But I can take care of my own family." She says as she turns and walks away. She just wants today to be over, she wants her father to take off again, she wants someone to find what or who killed her mother and for herself and Scott to be able to grieve and get through this. But in Beacon Hills, it's rare to get _everything_ you want, or to get anything without a little sacrifice.

Derek sighs, shaking his head. He doesn't know why he even bothers to try to help, it always gets thrown back in his face.

Derek goes back into his own loft and finds Jessie frowning, looking down at the ground.

"Jess?" He asks, getting her attention. She looks up at her big brother. "What's wrong?" He asks her.

"Do you think their Dad will be able to take their little sister away from them?" She asks because she's worried for them, she can already see how crushed they'd be if it did happen.

"Like I said, _their_ family business, _not_ your's." Peter repeats before Derek can even think of an answer. Jessie scoffs, standing up.

"You're such an asshole." She says before walking up the stairs to her room. Peter just brushes it off and Derek just glares at his Uncle, shaking his head. He's not blind, he can see how much Jessie despises Peter.

"Go home, Peter." Derek says. He waits until Peter's left the loft before grabbing Melissa's report and sitting down on the sofa with it, starting to read through it.

..

That night, Ash has something she hasn't had since she was younger. A really bad nightmare, more like a night terror.

Scott's eyes open when he hears thumping. It's loud, ringing in his ears. He sits up in bed, trying to determine what it is. It worries him further because he doesn't understand what it is. He gets out of his bed, flicking out his claws as he begins to follow the sound. Sadly, it makes sense once he pushes open his sister's door.

Ash is in bed, eyes squeezed painfully shut in a frown, her heart pounding in her chest and her breathing is all over the place. Scott rushes to her, sitting down on her bed and gently shaking her. That's all it takes for her to wake up, to shoot up in bed so fast she almost butts heads with Scott.

She gasps for breath, tears in her eyes and a burning forming in her chest as she claws to suck down oxygen. She feels like she can't breath but she's been through this before. It's nightmares, triggering a panic attack in her sleep. It's not pretty, nor is it something she's proud to admit she sometimes has. But with eveything with her mother and father, she knew one was right around the corner.

"It's okay, Ash, just breathe." Scott soothes, rubbing her back softly. He stays by his sister's side as she catches her breath, slowly calming down. It reeks of anxiety, stress and fear in this room, whatever she dreamt, it must have been bad. And it was, Ash saw _everything_ that could possibly go wrong, she saw her whole family, Stilinski and McCall, ripped away from her. That's more than enough to throw her into a panic attack. But knowing that Scott's right here, that he's okay and that he's here for her, that helps calm Ash down alot.

"Shit..I'm sorry." Ash says once she's settled her breathing enough to speak. Scott squeezes her shoulder gently and gives her a small sad smile.

"Don't apologise, it's okay." He tells her. "But you're fine, alright? I'm here, nothing bad's gonna happen to you." He says, hoping to provide her with some comfort.

"It's not me I'm worried about." She says honestly, looking up and meeting his brown gaze.

"Ash..we're all gonna be fine." Scott says. Ash shakes her head. "We are-"

"Like Mom?" She asks him sadly. Scott sighs. "I can't shake this feeling Scott, this feeling like these bad things are going to keep happening, this feeling like I'm gonna lose my family." She admits.

"We're not going anywhere." Scott says without missing a beat. " _I'm_ not going anywhere. And Jade's not going anywhere." He says. "I know things look bad, and I know how much you're hurting but listen to me. We're gonna find whoever did that to our Mom, and they're gonna pay. And once we figure it out, we'll make sure Jade comes home with _us_ , where she belongs." Scott tells her. "But I have to know you believe that, Ash, that you believe in me."

"I believe in you." Ash assures him. "I do." She nods. "I just..I don't know if I believe in myself anymore."

"You should, Stiles and I do." Scott says. "Jade does." Ash gives him a small smile. "Go back to bed, sleep this off. Tomorrow's a new day, and a new opportunity for us all, alright?"

"Alright." Ash nods. Scott kisses her forehead and says goodnight before standing back up. Ash blows out a breath before laying back down. She gives Scott a thankful smile as he slips out of her room and back into his own.

After her brother's comfort, Ash is able to get back to sleep. Scott lays in bed for a little while before he goes back to sleep though. That's not the first time he's had to settle her from nightmares, she never reveals too much about what they're about but she always calms after he's soothed her.

Scott said those things to her with conviction, with strong belief that the words were true, especially the part about believing in her, Jade and finding their mother's killer. Scott just hopes he'll be able to put his words into action and come through for his family and the people around him. He just really hopes he doesn't let them down.

..

..

 **More bodies are piling up :O But Derek does have some kindness in that heart of his :) Favourite, follow and review!**


	12. Wandering Eye

**Shout out to:**

 ***Serena Sterling: I'm glad you liked it :) It's fine, and thanks :)**

 ***Tesla424: I would have too! Thank you :)**

 **..**

The next morning, Ash feels a little better. So, she drives Scott to school, she takes Isaac and Jessie too as they're only across the hall.

"Thanks." Ash mumbles to Scott since it's only for his ears, and she doesn't have to specify what. For his comfort last night and the little gift he left on her dresser this morning. His old inhaler, in case he's not there to help her calm her breathing, she can use that.

Scott, Isaac and Jessie get out, throwing 'thank you's over their shoulders. Ash then spots Stiles waving at her and waves back. He jogs towards her but ends up stopping beside Jessie. Ash watches as Isaac and Scott make their way into school while Stiles and Jessie talk, not that her human ears can hear what they're saying to each other, but her eyes can certainly see their body language.

"Hey, you okay?" Stiles asks Jessie, putting his hand on her arm lightly. "You look stressed." He says, noticing she's frowning, not looking as bubbly as she usually is.

"I'm okay, Peter's just an asshole." Jessie sighs. "I really don't know why Derek puts up with him." She says, shaking her head.

"Derek's big on family, that includes Peter, I guess." Stiles says. Jessie nods because she knows he's right. "Did you still wanna study for that mid-term Chemistry exam?" He asks her.

"Yeah." Jessie nods, looking up at him now. "If you're free too."

"I am. I'll text you?" He asks because the whole pack have exchanged numbers by now. Jessie nods. "I gotta see Ash but I'llsee you later, alright?" He says.

"Sure." Jessie smiles. They part ways, Stiles' hand slipping from her arm. Jessie goes into school and Stiles walks over to Ash's car, sliding into the passenger's seat.

"Hey." Ash says with a small smile.

"Hey." Stiles says.

"So..Jessie?" She questions, unable the ignore what she just saw.

"Yeah?" Stiles asks.

"You know she's _Derek's baby sister_ , right?" Ash asks him. He just looks confused. "He would kill you if-"

"Whoa, whoa, we're just friends." Stiles stops her, realising what she means now. Because really, they are just friends. But Ash does notice the tint of red in his cheeks. "I mean, she's a cool chick but..I don't think that's an option." Stiles says.

"I can't help but notice how you never said you didn't want that to be an option." Ash points out.

"I don't know." Stiles shrugs.

"She's a _very_ pretty girl." Ash says.

"Yeah, and she's got a _very_ protective brother." Stiles says.

"Ah, I see the problem now." Ash nods. "Well..you think properly about this, Stiles. Don't throw away something that might make you happy because it might not make someone else happy." She says.

"You just love getting under Derek's skin." Stiles says.

"That I do." Ash admits, both of them chuckling. Ash's phone starts to ring from inside her bag. "Hold on a sec." She says to Stiles and he nods in understanding. She brings her phone out of her handbag. She smiles when she sees the caller ID. She presses the answer button and brings it to her ear.

"Hey, Aunty." Ash answers.

"Hey, baby, how're you doing?" Hailey asks her neice.

"We're okay here, we're holding it together." Ash tells her, because Ash does feel a hell of alot better compared to how she was days ago.

"That's good, I'm glad." Hailey says sincerely.

"And you? How are you doing?"

"I'm getting by." She says. "But, there's someone here who really wants to talk to you." Hailey says, smiling at the 1 and a half year old jumping at her feet. Hailey holds the phone out to little Jade.

"Ash." Ash smiles even wider when she hears her little sister's voice.

"Hi, Jade. What are you doing?" She asks her. With everything going on with her father and his girlfriend wanting to take Jade, Ash is relieved to hear Jade's cute little voice.

"See you?" She asks, her talking is coming along well but it still needs some work.

"Put Auntie back on the phone, Jay, I'll see if I can make that happen." Ash says, liking the idea of seeing her little sister again. Ash wasn't in a very good space when her baby sister was last around, Melissa had just passed and it felt like Ash's insides were being teared out. It wasn't a good time for Jade to be around her older siblings. Ash wouldn't say it's good now, but it's better now that they've had a few days to settle down. And besides, she wants Jade with her where she knows Rafael can't swoop in and take her.

Jade does as her big sister says and hands the phone back over to her Aunt, who is currently stewing apples and plums to make a crumble.

"She wants to see you." Hailey says, balancing the phone between her ear and shoulder as she sprinkles brown sugar into her boiling pot of peeled fruit. "Do you think you'd want that?" She asks her neice, unsure if she's ready to jump into this shared custody thing so fast. But they know that's what Melissa would want, for Jade to be with her brother and sister and her only Auntie, _not_ in the system or ending up with a foster family. No matter how broken they are, they will always put that aside to take care of their own.

"Yeah." Ash says. "I can take her for a few days, maybe more, depends what you want." Ash tells her. Ash doesn't mention the mess errupting with Rafael, Hailey's hurting as much as she and Scott are, Ash doesn't want to make it worse for her too. Right now, Ash can handle this, she'll go to her Aunt if she needs too.

Stiles looks at Ash with intrigement, he's unable to tell what she's talking about yet.

"Well, honey, if you're sure, I'm okay with that." Hailey says, a smile coming to her face.

"I'm sure." Ash says. Family is everything is her, having her little sister around will do her and Scott some good. It'll help remind them what's important, what will help get them through this tragedy. "I can come pick her up, just tell me when." Ash says, feeling excitement starting to fizzle in her stomach, a feeling she hasn't had the luxury of feeling in quite a long time.

"Whenever you can make the drive out." Hailey says. Ash smiles.

"So..if I could do that right now? Would that work?" She asks hopefully because really, she has no plans today. And she really wants to see Jade.

"If you really want to drive all the way out right now then that's fine with me." Hailey says. They're an hour out but Ash doesn't have anything to do, and she'd love to see her sister, so why not?

"Yeah. I'm on my way now." Ash says.

"Alright, I'll see you in an hour, honey."

"You will, bye." Both females bid farewell and hang up. This'll be a good thing, having all the McCall kids together again under one roof. Only problem is, the murders. But Ash, and she knows Scott will too, likes the idea of having Jade close so they can protect her, if it came to that. Which hopefully, it won't, _ever_. But you never know in a town like this. And their Dad's a problem, but Ash can handle that right now, what she can't handle is murders. Ash turns back to Stiles.

"You're going to get Jade?" He guesses, now understanding.

"Yeah." Ash nods with a proper smile. The school bell goes and Stiles glances over at the school. Ash raises an eyebrow when he doesn't get out of the car.

"Coach is making us do suicide runs today." Stiles comments with absolutely no enthusiasm. Ash chuckles.

"If you're coming with me, you have to tell Scott so he doesn't worry about you." Ash says. Stiles grins now and nods.

"Yeah, of course." He says, happy he's going to be spending the day with Ash and not at school. He hasn't had much time with Ash lately, he's thankful for this time.

Ash drives away from the school while Stiles texts Scott, letting him know that he's taking the day off today and his Jeep's in the carpark.

"Did you text Jessie and tell her too?" Ash asks innocently.

"Shut up." Stiles says half-heartedly, making Ash chuckle.

..

A couple hours later, brings them to here.

"Icy! Icy!" Jade says, bouncing in her carseat. Ash smiles a little, happy to see her happy and just happy to be able to feel some happiness herself. Things looked really bad, they still do. But things like this, family, it throws a little sunshine over that darkness, eases the tension and makes things a little easier.

"Do you want ice-cream?" Stiles asks her, smiling too. 'Icy' is Jade's way of saying ice-cream.

"Yes, icy! Icy!" Jade hollers again.

"Yeah, okay. Here we are." Ash chuckles, pulling up outside of the supermarket in Beacon Hills. She gets out and goes into the backseat. She unclips Jade's carseat and helps her down to her feet. Ash grabs her handbag, slings it over her shoulder and locks the car once Stiles has gotten out as well.

When they walk inside, Jade's small hand grabs Ash's fingers. Ash looks down at her with a soft smile, moving so she can hold Jade's hand properly. Jade smiles toothly up at Ash, a comforting feeling that she is yet to understand filling her stomach as she feels the love and the safety her big sister provides her with.

Before going to ice-cream, Ash picks up some foods and supplies for Jade's stay. Some low-fat milk, fruits like bananas and strawberries, jelly. Ash leads Jade over to the frozen and cold foods section. She takes both of Jade's hands and lifts her up, sitting her on the edge of the freezer so she can pick which one she wants. Jade happily looks at each one, marveling at the rainbow of colours her young eyes see.

"That." Jade says to Stiles, pointing down at one. "That. That." She quickly changes her mind, pointing out half a dozen of them.

"What about this one?" Stiles asks her, pointing to another one. Jade nods with a big smile. Ash just leans back and watches the two of them together. Stiles is a part of her family, blood or not, you can tell just by the way he's with Jade and how comfortable and happy Jade is with him.

"She really is adorable." A voice to her left says. Ash is about to thank the person for the compliment but when she turns to the side, her happiness is replaced with that unsettling dread again, same as the other day.

"Are you following me?" She asks her father in an angry voice but quiet enough so it doesn't attract Stiles' or Jade's attention. Ash just ignores the blonde woman with him, she has nothing else to say to Danielle, she made her point quite clear already. Ash can ignore her, as long as she doesn't try to get close to Jade that is, Ash will keep her promise and hurt her.

"Relax. It's a small town." Rafael says. "We'll go, we just want to say hello to my other daughter." He says, his eyes falling to Jade. Ash steps closer to Jade protectively. But Jade's far too focused on the wide variety of ice-cream to even take notice of the man and woman behind her.

"No, she is not _your_ daughter." Ash corrects him. Because he doesn't deserve to be Jade's father, he's never met her until the other day, he skipped out a few months into the pregnancy. Rafael's eyes narrow and he steps forward, closer to his eldest daughter. "Back off." Ash says, putting her hand to his chest firmly when he gets too close. It takes half a second for Rafael to have a rough grip around the wrist of the hand she had out. She cringes when his grip is far too tight for her liking. And Danielle does nothing but watch.

"She _is_ my daughter, I have a _right_." He says calmly while his grip tightens even more. The bones in her wrist ache, getting worse. "She's _our's_ , and we're taking her." He says.

"Ashy?" It's Jade's voice that gives her the strength to rip her wrist out of his grip. The blood starts to flow again but it's sore enough to have some bruising. Ash is tough, but she's small and he's 3x her size. He finds it easy to hurt her like this. Stiles looks up when Ash doesn't answer her little sister. He sees a man he's come to hate himself, and the blonde, and quickly goes over to Ash.

"Back off." Stiles says to Rafael with strength in his tone. He doesn't like how close he's standing to Ash. Rafael steps back, he doesn't need Stiles getting involved in their family domestics. Danielle puts her hands on Rafael's arm, looking between the two younger adults. Stiles glances at Ash and she nods to him.

"Come on, baby, let's go." Ash says, helping Jade to her feet and walking away with her, not even sparing her 'father' or Danielle another glance. Stiles throws Rafael a glare before following Ash and Jade. He doesn't even look at Danielle, he has nothing to say to her either.

Once paying, Ash takes Jade back to the car, clips her into her carseat and gets into the driver's seat. She shakes off the third discouraging encounter with her father and his partner. Stiles gets into the passenger's and Ash pulls out of the carpark and onto the road again.

"Are you okay?" Stiles asks her.

"Yeah." Ash nods. "Thanks for that." She says.

"It's okay." Stiles says. "I'm sorry, I didn't even see them." He says because he knows what kind of man, what kind of _drunk_ , Rafael was and how we walked out on his family. He despises that man with a passion. And the fact his partner is helping Rafael try to steal Jade from them..well, Stiles might despise her too. Hell, Ash _definitely_ does.

"It's not your fault." Ash says. She glances at her wrist, that's turned an angry red. She rolls her sleeve down over it before Stiles can notice it, she doesn't need or want the questions right now. "School or home?" Ash asks Stiles, changing the subject.

"I should probably get to school before they call Dad." Stiles says reluctantly. Ash chuckles and patts his knee.

"Good boy." She teases and he rolls his eyes playfully. As she drives, Stiles glances at her with a soft smile. He's starting to see the real Ash come out from that mourning mess, he's glad she hasn't lost herself completely. It was getting to that point, with Scott as well, but it's understandable. He's just glad he's starting to see the real them coming back out in both McCalls, he doesn't want to lose his brother or sister.

..

After dropping Stiles back off at school and dismissing what happened earlier with her father, Ash balances brown paper bags of groceries in one arm and holds Jade's hand, helping her up the many stairs up to their loft with her other hand.

"Ah, Jesus." Ash sighs, stuggling to get her keys from her pocket with all the bags and Jade still holding onto her.

"You okay?" Ash looks to her left to see Peter and Derek coming out of their loft. Derek's twirling his keys is his hand as they're about to go out. Ash sees this and decides not to disturb them.

"I'm fine, thanks." She says. But Derek goes over to her anyway, taking her bags. She sighs fondly, giving him a grateful smile. Peter sighs to himself, his point of Derek going soft being proven even more. But he wasn't being soft, he was being _respectful_ , there's a difference.

She manages to get her keys from her pocket and unlock the door, sliding it open. Jade frowns at the two males as they both follow Ash into her loft, her little mind only vaguely remembering Derek.

"Who?" Jade asks, not coming in the door. She stays standing there, looking between Derek and Peter. Ash throws her handbag onto the sofa and goes over to her, seeing she doesn't feel comfortable. A few things fall out of Ash's bag and onto the couch. Derek spots an inhaler and frowns, he didn't know she was asthmatic. In fact, she doesn't give off the smell of the sickness like Scott used too..so he wonders why she's carrying it.

"Hey, it's okay." Ash says, looking at Jade as she kneels down in front of her. "You know Derek, remember?" She asks Jade. Jade shrugs, unsure. "Come here, it's okay." Ash says, standing up and taking her hand. Jade follows Ash over to them, hiding behind her legs shyly. Peter gives Jade a small, hopefully not creepy, smile. Derek just tries to appear less intimidating. "This is Derek." Ash introduces again, showing her sister the dark-haired, green-eyed man.

"Yes." Jade nods because she can remember him, his eyes mostly.

"And this is Peter." Ash says, showing her Peter now. Peter handles himself better, crotching down to her level.

"Hi." Peter says and Ash feels like she's seeing a whole other person. He's smiling, genuinely, and he's not mad or being cheeky. It's strange for Ash to see, but it's sort of nice too. But Ash is still watching him closely, because she doesn't trust, or like, Peter. And when Peter reaches his hand out, Ash instinctively moves Jade back behind her. Derek looks between the two adults before putting his hand on Peter's arm, a sign for him to back up a little. "That history's dead, sweetheart." Peter says, standing back up. Ash looks down, not saying anything. She, like Jessie, still has alot of problems with Peter.

Ash's eyes widen in horror when Jade starts crying. All eyes fall to her with worry.

"Jade? Honey, what's wrong?" Ash asks her, grabbing her shoulders gently. Jade doesn't say anything, she just wails and points at the coffee table. Derek realises what it is that's upsetting her first.

"Hey, it's okay." He says to her. He takes the spider into his hands, taking it off the table. Jade does settle a little but she's still upset, she's terrified of spiders, something her family really hope she'll grow out of, or at least get better with.

Derek takes it over to the window, letting it out. He comes back over to the three and is surpised when Jade grabs his, much larger, hands with her tiny ones. Ash is surprised she'd be so bold with someone but let's Jade do whatever she's trying to do. It takes a few moments for them to realise what she's doing. She turns and twists Derek's hands. She's checking to make sure the spider's gone. Ash smiles softly at how Derek's able to make her stop crying.

"Gone?" Jade asks, looking up at Derek with hopeful big blue eyes. It's been a long time since Derek's had someone so small this close to him, not since Jessie was young. He's either hiding out, on the run, or people just avoid him and Peter..he doesn't exactly get to be around alot of children, let alone toddlers.

"Yeah, it's gone." He assures her. Jade smiles at him toothily and Derek swears a tiny part of his heart actually melted. Jade's not scared of him, she's thankful and she's happy he helped her. Derek doesn't exactly get alot of smiles or praise so he can't help but give the young girl a hint of a smile back, he's not a big smiler himself.

"We should probably get going." Peter reminds Derek, seeing he's a little distracted. Derek looks away from the blue eyes and softly curled black locks and over at his Uncle again with a nod. Ash moves to the sofa, lifting Jade up to sit down. She starts throwing her crap back in her bag but pauses when she can't find something, something she knows she can't lose because she might need it.

"Here." Derek says, moving the sofa cushion a little to reveal what he knows she's looking for. He picks up the blue inhaler, to cure the attacks of asthma and to help prevent them, and holds it out to her. Ash looks away from him awkwardly, taking it from his hand. "I didn't know you were asthmatic." He says to see what she'll say.

"I, uh..I'm not." Ash says, scratching the back of her neck. Derek nods slowly. He looks over at Peter who gives a little shrug and nods to the door.

"See you later then." Derek says. Ash throws the inhaler back into her bag with more force than necessary. Peter starts to move for the door with Derek but pauses, noticing the dark marks around Ash's wrist.

"Hey." Peter says, getting Ash's attention. "What happened there?" He asks Ash, looking at her wrist. Derek sees too now, looking at her. Ash swallows loudly, her other hand coming up to rub over the reddened-half bruising marks from her father's little intimidation display that she's happy both Stiles and Jade missed.

"Uh..I don't know." She lies, not willing to reveal where they really came from. She doesn't need to add to the drama already floating around.

"You sure about that?" Derek asks, both him and Peter easily picking up on that, terrible by the way, lie.

"I'm sure." Ash nods, sounding and looking more convincing this time. Derek and Peter share a quick look, both knowing that was another lie. But they can see she's not budging.

"Okay." Peter nods, still studying her because he knows she's only spilling half-truths. But to him, that's not his problem. "We'll get going then." Peter says, going towards the door again. Derek looks at her for a moment longer, Ash avoiding his eyes best she can, before he's following his Uncle out the door.

"Thank you for that with her." Ash says with sincerity as he passes her. Derek nods. Peter glances at Derek and back to Ash again, seeing they aren't as hostile as they usually are towards each other. Derek slides the door shut behind him and Peter as they leave.

Ash sighs and takes the groceries into the kitchen. She knows all that must have stirred up a few questions between the two Hales. Jade slides off the sofa and to her feet. She follows Ash into kitchen, watching as her older sister puts the groceries away in the fridge, freezer and pantry.

"Scott?" Jade asks.

"He's at school, baby, he'll be home in an hour or so." Ash tells her little sister and that makes Jade smile. As much as she loves her Aunt, Jade's excited to be with her older brother and sister.

Once Ash is finished putting the groceries away, she takes a book out of the bag Hailey packed for Jade's stay. She sits down on the couch with Jade and starts to read it. It doesn't take long for Ash to have her legs stretched out on the couch and have Jade curled up on her stomach, laying her head on Ash's chest as she slowly falls asleep to her sister's voice.

..

..

 **Jade's home :3 Obviously, Danielle isn't as warm-hearted as she's tried to make out. Favourite, follow and review!**


	13. Interruptions

**Shout out to**

 ***Tesla424: Aw, cute! Glad you liked it :)**

 ***Serena Sterling: I'm glad everyone likes Derek x Jade dynamics! But yes, Derek does have a** _ **little bitty**_ **problem with how close Stiles and Jessie are getting ;) But how doesn't love protective big brother Derek, am I right?**

 ***AlphaWolf19: Yes, Melissa, I'm sorry! It is a little like THOHAGC, which I'm glad you liked too! Well..Danielle did deserve that so that can be a one-off :P It's fine about the reviews, as long as you're reading and liking it, I don't mind :) I** _ **love**_ **the monkey emojis!**

 **Please read the end note too, thanks :)**

 **..**

 _Later that day_

Derek sits at the table, he's got a book and he's trying to read it, but it's really hard to ignore the two teenagers sitting in his living room. He was sour enough when Jessie walked in the door from school with Stilinski trailing behind her, now he has to listen to _this_.

"I saw his face." Jessie says as she laughs. "I didn't know that was you though." She says to Stiles, putting her hand on his arm.

"Yeah." He nods, a smile coming to his face when he feels her touch him. "We haven't pranked Coach in awhile though, it felt good." He says.

"You know, he's never going to get the dye out of his shirt, right?" Jessie says.

"Yeah, that's the point." Stiles nods and they both chuckle.

"How often do you and Greenburg do this?" Jessie asks him.

"As often as we can, Greenburg usually gets all the blame though so I'm safe." Stiles says.

"Yeah, he _really_ doesn't like Greenburg. What's that story?" Jessie asks Stiles.

"It's a good one." Stiles says, turning to Jessie and giving her all of his attention, their study for the Chemistry mid-term now forgotten. Jessie smiles, seeing how Stiles' eyes light up with interest and excitement, that might be due to the Addrell he took as well though. Stiles sees her smile and pauses, smiling back at her. "It was last year, Greenburg was-" Derek slams his book down on the dining table, making them both jump and look over at him.

"Aren't you supposed to be studying?" Derek asks, looking between them. They both fall quiet, Jessie's hand snapping back to her own side as they both look back down at the books and papers laid out on the coffee table between them. Derek goes back to his book and the two teenagers glance at each other, holding back grins. Derek glances up and sees them grinning at each other like it's Christmas morning. He sighs, closing his book and standing up, leaving it on the table.

"Where are you going?" Jessie asks, looking over at him as he walks towards the front door.

"Checking in on Scott, Ash and Jade." He says, opening the door. He needs an excuse to get out of the loft and away from the two of them and their silly teenaged antics. Jessie and Stiles share a look but don't say anything out-loud about that as he walks out. He goes over and knocks on the door.

"It's open." Ash says, not bothering to go answer it herself. Derek walks in, looking around for the McCalls. He only finds Ash. She sits on the balcony railing, a beer in one hand and a cigarette in the other.

"Where's Scott?" He asks, walking over to her.

"He took Jade to the park. He usually does when the sun's out like this, she loves it." She says, not looking at him. Derek nods and leans againist the balcony railing. He looks at her but her eyes are focused on something else. Derek follows her train of sight, looking over the town as well.

It falls quiet for awhile, neither of them have much to say. Ash glances at him. He catches her doing it and she looks away again quickly.

"What?" He asks her.

"Nothing. I'm just..I'm surprised you came back here after all the crazy shit I did." She says, some of her shame for those things becoming clear in her voice for a moment. Because she has done some stupid things since her Mom died. You can't really blame her..but he can't really justify it either.

"I told Scott I'd keep an eye on you." Derek justifies his appearance at the loft.

"I know." She nods.

"Besides, Stiles and Jessie are studying." Derek says. There's a pause of silence because Derek's a little sour about it and because Ash already had her suspicions that something was stirring between them.

"What's wrong with that?" Ash asks him anyway, wanting to know how he feels about those two hanging out more lately.

"I don't know yet." He says, not sure what all the giggling and smiling was about. It falls quiet again. Ash holds her packet of cigarettes out to him. Derek looks between her and the packet before pushing off the railing and going over to her. He takes one out and puts it between his lips.

"You gotta light?" He asks her. Ash nods and brings her zippo out, lighting it and putting it to the end of his smoke like she did in the car after he bailed her out. He nods his thanks and they return to that silence again for awhile.

He's the one that glances at her this time. His eyes fall to her wrist, seeing those marks again. Questions sit on the tip of his tongue but he doesn't voice them yet. "I uh..I need to talk to you about something." He says, part of the reason he came over here looking for her and Scott as well. Ash turns to him because she can hear the seriousness in his voice.

"Oh.. I know, I haven't really been there for Jessie, it's just been a crazy time." She says, getting the wrong idea.

"Oh, no, that's not it." Derek shakes his head. "She's okay, she's with Stiles and Scott lately anyway." He says.

"That's good, they're good kids. I know Scott's not around too much for her, but Stiles is, he'll look after her." Ash says, hoping to put in the good word for the younger male.

"Hmm." Derek says, not agreeing but not disagreeing either.

"What do you need to talk about then?" She asks him.

"I read through your Mom's report." He says. Ash's face and stomach drop as she nods slowly, because she knows by his tone that this isn't good news. "She has the same lacerations to her torso that Roosevelt had." He tells her. Ash looks away from him, swallowing.

"Same person?" She asks, focusing on the town instead of the wolf beside her as tears sting her eyes but she refuses to let them show.

"Same _thing_." He says as he blows out a cloud of cigarette smoke. Ash turns to look at him now. "Animal hairs were found on the body."

"Wolf?" She asks, anger starting to seep into her voice.

"Canine." Derek says. Ash inhales deeply, trying to keep the cool-headedness she's managed to find. "We don't know for sure if it was a werewolf or..we just don't know yet." He supplies. She nods, taking a long drag from her cigarette. He looks at her, unsure how she's feeling on the inside because she's keeping herself pretty composed. Ash looks down into her lap with a troubled frown darkening her features.

"You know, she felt all of it. From the moment it attacked, all the way to the hospital." Ash says, her frown deepening. Derek doesn't say anything because he doesn't know what to say. Ash sniffs, feeling her eyes water properly now, but she refuses to let herself cry in front of Derek again, she doesn't want to cry in front of _anyone_ , but this hurts her alot. "Shit." She sighs, a tear managing to slip down her cheek. She quickly scrubs it away, not paying Derek any mind as he looks at her, watching as she slowly cracks.

Ash has to change the subject, she has to get away from the mental image she has in her head of her mother crying out in pain, _screaming_ in _agony_.

"Can you tell Jessie I'm sorry for snapping at her the other day?" Ash asks Derek, wiping her eyes once more before looking at him.

"Yeah." He nods, seeing her eyes have reddened. He hesitates before speaking up again. "About the other day-"

"We don't have to have that conversation." She stops him. "I didn't take it, I've never taken it. I don't have anymore. It's done." She says because she really wants to move on from it, she doesn't want to think about the Oxy incident. Derek nods and doesn't say anything else about it. "Hell, I'm sorry to you as well." She says. Derek looks over at her. "For snapping, for..just being a bitch to you all the time." She chuckles weakly, looking down at her beer before drinking from it so she doesn't have to look him in the eye as she apologies for her unnecessary behaviour towards him.

She's come to grips that what's in the past, is in the past, not the present. This grudge she was holding againist Derek..stupid.

"I don't mean to be an asshole, it's just genetic, from my father." She says, her voice becoming bitter when she thinks about that man. Derek hears, and smells, her mood sour at her father's mention but he doesn't comment on it.

"Yeah." Derek nods instead, accepting the apology.

She crushes her cigarette in the ash tray and Derek follows suit. Ash jumps down to her feet and walks inside.

"Can you tell Scott what I told you?" Derek asks as he walks inside too. "Or do you want me to do it?" He offers because it might still hurt too much for her. By how she almost cried only moments ago, he knows it's still an aching hurt for her.

"No..no, I can do it." Ash says. Derek nods and starts heading for the door. "Thank you." Ash says quietly, knowing he'll hear her, and he does. Derek glances at her and nods once before leaving.

..

"And up." Scott smiles, pushing Jade on the swing.

"Up! Up!" Jade says, wanting to go higher.

"Here." He says, lifting her out of the swing. Scott looks around the park, making sure noone's around or watching them. He puts Jade on his shoulders, using one hand to hold her on. He goes over to the large tree the two of them were just sitting under earlier. He lets some of his wolf abilities shine through as he swiftly climbs up the thick trunk until they're both sitting comfortably on a branch high up. Scott gets her off his back and sits the young girl in his lap. "This high enough for you?" Scott asks her. Jade nods, looking around the tree branches and over the playground and grass with wide excitable eyes.

Jessie and Stiles take a break from studying, they decide to go find Scott. And they do. They find him and Jade in that tree.

"Hey." Stiles calls up to them, putting a hand over his eyes to block out the sun. Scott and Jade look down spotting Jessie and Stiles.

"Oh, hey. I thought you two were studying?" Scott asks.

"Needed a break. Things at home were getting a little.." Jessie makes a face that she hopes shows Peter and Derek's disagreement and tension once he got back from the McCall place and Peter dropped by. Peter was, as usual, telling Derek to stay out of their family affairs, usual selfish bullshit.

"Let me guess." Scott says as he takes Jade under one arm and starts climbing down. He jumps down to his feet and lets Jade down onto the grass. She giggles and starts running over to the playground, stumbling a little but getting there in one piece. "Derek and Peter?" Scott guesses as the three of them begin walking over to the playground where Jade is now playing in the sandpit.

"Yeah." Jessie nods with a sigh. "I really don't get it. I mean, I understand that Peter's family, that he's our Uncle, but after what he did to Laura, I just.." Jessie sighs again. Scott and Stiles look at her apologetically as the three of them sit on the park bench in front of the sandpit so they can keep a close eye on Jade. "I don't wanna be around him." She says. "But I can't expect Derek to ban him from the loft, he was there before I was, and that's selfish."

"It's not selfish." Scott says. "Believe me..everyone has that person they wish they didn't have to see again." Stiles looks over at his closest friend, knowing exactly who he's talking about.

"Well, what do you do?" Jessie asks. "What _can_ you do?"

"Way I see it, you gotta look at the bigger picture." Scott says.

"What do you mean?" Jessie asks.

"It's not just about you." Stiles steps in, knowing what Scott's trying to say but he's struggling because he doesn't really like to talk about his Dad. "Obviously, it involves Derek too. Have you talked to him, told him how you feel about all this?" Stiles asks her. Jessie shakes her head.

"No, it's not easy to talk to Derek in that way." She says. "And it's not easy for me either, hell, I find it hard enough to talk to you two." She admits.

"Well, we're here." Stiles says and Scott nods.

"But Stiles is right, you should talk to Derek about it." Scott says. Jessie sighs and nods.

"Enough about me." She says. "How are you two holding up?" She asks, not having to clarify because they both know what she means.

"I've been better." Stiles says honestly. He lost his own mother years back, and now the woman that didn't take her place but did hold close to it. Jessie squeezes his arm gently and looks to Scott.

"I'm coping. I'm just really worried about Ash." Scott says.

"Derek's been over there a couple times, he'll make sure she's okay when you can't. I'll check in with her too, we'll all take care of each other." Jessie tells him and he smiles a little. "What about her?" Jessie asks, looking at Jade. Scott sighs deeply at that.

"She doesn't understand yet." He says. "She's just so young, can't wrap her little mind around it all just yet, but we are trying to help her understand it."

"She'll get there." Stiles says, squeezing his shoulder.

"She shouldn't have too." Scott says. "This shouldn't have happened." He says, feeling his eyes sting but refusing to show the tears either. He gets up and goes over to his little sister. Stiles is about to get up too but Jessie catches his arm.

"Just give him a minute." She tells Stiles. Stiles stops and relaxes back into his seat again. They watch as Scott plays with Jade, helping her build sandcastles. He's smiling but Stiles knows Scott inside and out, he sees that deep down Scott still has tears to cry. But he's not doing that now, not in front of Jade.

"Derek will understand." Stiles says. Jessie turns her head to look at Stiles. "Just talk to him." He urges.

"I will." Jessie nods. "Hey..I know Melissa meant alot to you too, I'm sorry." She says.

"Yeah, me too." Stiles says. He puts his hand over the one Jessie still has on his arm. Jessie looks down at their hands and then back up to Stiles' amber-like eyes. Stiles smiles a little, looking in her oceanic eyes then turns to face Scott and Jade again.

..

..

 **Aw, Stiles and Jessie are getting cosier and cosier :3 Favourite, follow and review! Also, how many of you go on AO3? I was thinking of doing some art for this fic as some point and moving to that site.. No promises though, just a thought!**


	14. Informative

**Shout out to:**

 ***Serena Sterling: Yes and yes! Thanks, I'm glad you did!**

 *** : Here it is!**

 **..**

"Hey." Scott says as he, Jade, Jessie and Stiles all walk into the loft. Ash looks up from where she's sitting on the sofa, watching whatever was playing on television absent-mindedly, her focus on her own thoughts, barely the television.

"Hey, Ash." Jessie greets.

"Hey, guys." Ash says with a weak smile.

"What's up?" Scott asks, seeing she looks to have been in deep-thought.

"Can I just have a minute with Scott?" She asks, looking at the other two teenagers.

"Yeah, of course." Stiles says. "I should get my stuff from across the hall anyway and head home." Stiles says.

"Yeah, I should get back too before Derek sends out a search party." Jessie jokes as she and Stiles slipped out once Derek had stormed away from Peter. Ash nods in farewell as they both say goodbye, leaving the loft with only the three McCall siblings inside.

"What's going on, Ash?" Scott asks, taking his eyes away from where Jade is now playing with her stuffed giraffe on the ground, and looking at his older sister.

"I spoke to Derek earlier." She starts. "It's bad news, Scott, I'm sorry."

"What are you talking about?" Scott asks her, his brow furrowing. Ash moves over to where he's sitting and takes the seat beside him. She takes his hands with her's and that's how Scott knows it's _bad_ bad. "Ash?"

"It's Mom." Ash says. She exhales shakily before going on. "Derek read her report. Something canine attacked her, teared her up, just like with Roosevelt." She tell him sadly.

"Something canine? A _wolf_?" Scott asks, his eyes shimmering with tears.

"We-we don't yet." Ash says.

"I dragged her into this life, I-" Scott starts to blame himself.

"No. No, no, no, no." Ash stops him, shaking her head. "Please, _please_ don't blame yourself." She pleads, her own eyes filling with tears. "Please don't." This is the hard part, knowing what Scott is, what they're both apart of, is what killed got their mother killed.

"Shit!" Scott barks out, kicking the coffee table away from him. Jade jolts, her eyes snapping to the table and then to her older brother and sister. Scott rests his head in his hands, exhaling shakily, trying to calm down.

"Scott.." Ash says, touching his shoulder. Scott's eyes snap up to meet her's, shining a deep golden. "Scott-" But he takes off, running out the door because he can't keep his wolf inside anymore and he doesn't want to hurt her or Jade, not like he almost did with Jessie. Scott's just glad Derek was there to stop him, and stop him he _definitely_ did. It's been a while since Scott's seen Derek get that mad, but it was Jessie, _Jessie_ , of course he flipped out.

Ash sighs, looking into her lap as a tear trails down her face, because she believes she's as much to blame about all this as Scott thinks he is.

As if perfectly unperfect timing, there's a knock on the door. It's already open from where Scott just took off.

"Ash?" Rafael calls out, seeing her. She ignores him. Until he decides to walk inside.

"Get out." She says, standing up. Ash is glad Danielle's not with him, because she'd probably hurt that woman.

"I wanted to apologise for hurting you." He says.

"I don't want your apology, just get out."

"You really should hear me out." Rafael says. He needs to know she's not going to report him or anything. He could lose his job over something like that. He could lose this trial to take custody of Jade because of that. And besides, it's not like he hit her, he barely left anything but a bruise or two.

"Don't make me tell you again." Ash says. But when he doesn't move, she just snaps. "Get out!" She yells at him angerily, storming up to him and shoving him out the door. She slides it shut, blocking him out and locking it. She leans againist the door, sliding down and sitting on the floor, trying to hold her tears back.

When Jessie and Stiles hear the yelling and slamming, they rush out of the Hale loft.

"What did you do?" Stiles asks, going over to Rafael. "Huh? What did you do to her?!" He asks angerily. Rafael stares at him but doesn't say anything, turning and walking away.

"Ash? Hey, open the door." Jessie says, knocking on the door gently. Derek hears the commotion too, coming out.

"What's going on?" He asks, walking over to his sister and Stiles.

"I don't know, her Dad did something." Jessie says.

"Ash, can you let me in?" Stiles asks, knocking on the door. From the other side of the door, Ash runs her hands through her hair anxiously, pulling at it. Her family can't catch a break, it's tearing her apart from the inside out, Scott too.

"Ashy?" Jade asks, walking over to her. She sits in front of her sister, confused by all the loud noise and raised voices.

"Jesus Christ, I'm fine! Piss off!" Ash says loudly, unable to handle all the people around her. It falls quiet and Ash is actually relieved. Until she isn't. Until Jade's crying, thinking her sister was yelling at her. "No, Jade. Baby, I'm sorry." Ash reaches for Jade but the young girl scrambles away from her, running over to sofa, jumping up and hiding her face in cushions. And Ash feels so horrible, and so disgusting. She feels her stomach twisting up until she actually has to run in bathroom and be sick.

When she's done, she sits down on the bathroom floor.

"What the hell's happening to us?" Ash asks herself in a breathed whisper. Her hands are shaking as they come up to hold the locket around her neck in her hands. She sniffs and rubs her thumb over the gold heart softly.

"I'm so sorry, Mom." She whispers painfully, squeezing her eyes shut and more tears leak down her face silently.

..

When Scott does return home that night, he finds Derek, Jessie and Stiles waiting outside.

"What's all this?" He asks them, having calmed down alot after running through the woods in his wolf state. He's now as human as the day he was born, his wolf tucked back inside of him.

"I don't know, Ash is really upset. She won't let us in." Stiles says. Scott frowns. He fishes into his pocket for his keys to the loft.

"Your Dad was here, Scott." Derek says. That makes the wolf pause. No wonder she's so upset.

"Go, I can handle this." Scott says without turning to them. He puts the key in the door and waits until he hears them clear out, because that wasn't a suggestion. He unlocks the door and goes inside. He shuts the door and turns back around. He sees Jade asleep on the couch, the only light in the whole place is from a dim floor lamp in the corner. Ash sits on the ground, leant againist the sofa Jade's sleeping on. Her eyelids are heavy, she looks exhausted.

"I made her cry." Ash says, looking at the ground. Scott goes over to her, sitting down beside her. "I yelled and she ran away from me like she was scared I was going to hurt her." Ash says, still looking at the ground with red-brimmed eyes.

"It's okay, Ash." Scott says, rubbing her leg. Ash shakes her head, because it's not.

"It's not okay." Ash says, sniffing as a tear manages to escape, rolling down her cheek. She turns to face Scott. "I'm trying, I'm trying my hardest to keep this family together, Scott. I am, I swear to God." She says, looking him in the eye.

"I know that, Ash." Scott assures her.

"I would never do anything to hurt you or Jade on purpose." She says. "I just.." She squeezes her eyes shut, more tears falling down her cheeks. She opens her eyes again, looking at Scott. "This is killing me, Scott. All this shit with Mom and..with our Dad.."

"What can I do to help you, Ash?" Scott asks her.

"Don't leave me." Ash says. "I don't do well without my family." She says.

"We're not going anywhere, Ash." Scott says, using his sleeve to wipe away her tears. "I don't care what those papers said, I don't care what our father wants..we're not splitting up. I promise you, Ash." He assures her, looking the girl in the eye, brushing her hair out of her face. "It's all gonna work out, it will." He says. "Alright?"

"Alright." Ash nods, sniffing back the rest of her tears.

"Derek said Rafael came here?" Scott asks.

"He did." Ash nods. "I hate him, Scott. I hate him so much." She says, her voice cracking, and then she starts to cry again. She tries not too, but she has _so_ many sad and hurt emotions spinning around inside of her that she can't help it. Scott becomes glassey-eyed too, pulling her into a hug. He rubs her back as she cries because he understands why she feels that way about the man.

Ash was young and she was playing 'Dad' when he'd chose a bottle at the bar over his family. She was 'Dad' when he took off for months at a time. She was 'Dad' when it came to helping pay bills and raise Jade. And now she's 'Dad' and 'Mom' to him and their baby sister, it's hard on her. Scott didn't exactly understand just how hard until now, until the weight of it all, of having their Dad around, of having their Mom gone, crushed her.

"He's not gonna twist up our family." Scott tells her, whispering againist her hair.

"Yes, he will, he-he always does." Ash sobs in his shoulder.

"No, not this time. I don't care if he wants Jade, I won't let him damage this family anymore. He's not splitting us up." Scott promises her, hugging her closer. Ash grips his shirt tighter as she nods, praying to whoever's out there that his words are true.

..

 _The next morning_

Scott was up early, Stiles needed to speak with him. About _another_ murder. Scott immediantly called Derek. Now, all three men, and Jessie since she tagged along, sit in the McCall living room.

"They're definitely connected, all three have almost identical injuiries." Stiles says, looking down at the two files open in front of them. Stiles has almost no info about the woman that was murdered this morning, so he can't get hold of the file. He just knows the pattern from Melissa's and Kennedy's cause of death matches up, it was done the same way.

"Well, what does your Dad have on the newest murder? About the woman?" Jessie asks him.

"Not much, the FBI have been called in, and they're trying to keep it to themselves." Stiles says, sharing a look with Scott because they both know that includes Rafael. "Anything he does have, he's not sharing with me, not even a name this time." Stiles says. "I'll keep looking. When I get the name, I'll give it to Ash, get her onto the database again." Stiles says.

"How does she even know how to do all that?" Derek asks, his curiousity getting the best of him. Jessie looks at Scott for that answer as she's curious too. Scott chuckles a little.

"You've still got alot to learn about my sister." Scott tells them both. Stiles looks at them both, amused, because he knows all those secret talents and little things Ash has hidden up her sleeve. She's a different girl when you get to know her, still a hot-head and _extremely_ protective of her family, but she has a different side too, a softer one, one she rarely shows.

"Are you sure she's gonna be up for that?" Jessie asks Scott. Scott pauses for a second before nodding.

"Yeah. She's okay, really, she is." He tells them. "There's just _alot_ of responsibility that has fallen on her shoulders since..Mom. I mean, I can mostly take care of myself, but Jade? She's 18 months old, she needs a mother." Scott sighs, because Jade can't have her mother now or ever again. And that's painful for the whole McCall family.

"She's doing good so far, she'll handle it, like she always does." Derek says, backing the absent girl up. Scott nods because he knows that's true, Ash will push _everything_ aside to look after her family, she always has. Jessie glances at her brother subtly, surprised to hear that come out of his mouth but she's happy he has faith in her. Jessie doesn't see Ash as being weak, she sees her being the exact opposite, and she doesn't even know the girl like the others do.

"As for my father.." Scott says, his frown deepening. he doesn't finish that sentence because he isn't sure what to say.

"Okay, Scott?" Stiles says, deciding to just be honest. Scott looks over at him. "I know he's your Dad and everything, but..I don't want him around our girls. I don't want him getting close to Jade." Stiles says with possessiveness that Derek, or Jessie, doesn't miss. Derek isn't blind, he knows how close the two families are. Rafael McCall definitely isn't winning any fatherly awards from the Stilinskis either.

"No, I know. Trust me, I know." Scott sighs, rubbing a hand down his face. Jessie and Derek stay quiet, letting the two friends, _brothers_ , sort it out themselves.

"I don't even think my Dad knows it's him that's stepping onto this case." Stiles says.

"You should tell him." Scott says and Stiles nods. Scott notices the two Hales are keeping quiet. He looks up at them, knowing they're going to know eventually, he may as well clue them in now. It's not like any of them are going anywhere, they're all pack. They should know the whole story. Besides, he knows they've heard parts of it during fights, arguements and other dramas. "Listen,-" He starts, getting Derek's and Jessie's attention. "-our father, he walked out on us about 2 years ago. Our Mom was only 2, maybe 3, months pregnant with Jade. And he just left, and he never showed up again until now. Even when he was with us, he was either drunk or just not around. Ash has been a fill-in parent for a long time, and she doesn't want him around. She even dropped out of college to come look after us. She worked night and day _every_ day to keep us afloat. She's had it hard for a _long_ time. And she doesn't like talking about it, so whatever she said to you two yesturday, just let it go. It wasn't personal." He tells them, his own despise and malice for the man clear in his voice.

Both Hales nod in understanding, especially Jessie because she's having similiar problems with Peter. Ones she is yet to discuss with Derek. Ones she isn't sure she wants to discuss with Derek anymore.

"Mom was talking to him, she let him meet Jade and then we all thought he'd take off like he always does. But..he's with the FBI, so he's gonna be sticking around for awhile, working on this case. And now he and his partner want to take Jade on as their child, once they get a court date..they can make that a reality." Scott says, rubbing his forehead like the very thought gives him a headache.

"What can I do?" Derek asks before he can stop himself. He protects his pack, not just from monsters and danger, from things that hurt them on the inside too. Just like he did with Isaac and his Dad. And, even if she isn't a wolf, Ash is apart of this pack, just like Stiles is, just like Jessie now is too.

"Nothing really." Scott sighs, wishing there was something they could do. "He's FBI, he's untouchable." He says. "Just..watch out for Ash, that's all you can do. Please. Just..check in when you can, if I can't be here." Scott says to him. Derek nods. "She's going to appeal in the same court, againist our father to take Jade herself, like you said." Scott tells him.

"She'll win." Stiles says. Scott turns to look at him with a small smile. "She's too good a person to lose to him."

When they hear footsteps, all four of them turn towards the stairs. They see a very awake Jade coming down the stairs, holding the hand of a very sleepy-looking Ash who wears an over-sized tee and some sleep shorts and black slippers. Jade sees Scott and rushes over to him, hugging his legs. Scott hugs her back, scruffing her hair. Ash hesitates, not sure she wants to face the three she yelled at yesturday. She's just glad Jade's gotten over it, seeing that frightened look on her face..that hurt Ash, alot. But she knows it's too late to not face them now, she might as well just do it.

"Is everything okay?" Ash asks, walking over to them. Scott moves over as a gesture for her to sit down. So she does, trying not to sigh because she can see this isn't going to be good news.

"There was another, early hours this morning." Scott tells her. Ash nods, trying not to show the disappointment she feels because it isn't Scott's fault.

"I'm gonna get a name and anything else I can get on it from my Dad. Can I bring that to you?" Stiles asks her.

"Yeah." Ash nods. Even if it hurts her to even think about all this, she wants, she _needs_ , this thing that's killing people to be stopped. "Yeah, tell me as soon as you know." She says. She covers her mouth when she yawns. Scott frowns, seeing the bags under her eyes.

"Did you sleep?" Scott asks her, noticing how tried she looks and sounds.

"Sorta, I mean, I tried." She says with a weak chuckle.

"Was it the-" Scott stops himself from finishing that question when Ash sends him a hard look. They're not having that conversation right now in front of their guests.

"No, it wasn't." Ash says because she didn't have any nightmares, just a restless sleep after a hard day and even longer night. When they all look at her, she stands up and goes into the kitchen for coffee, mostly so she doesn't have to meet any of their eyes. Jade looks away from Scott and over at Derek.

"De'ick." Jade says as she looks at him with those almost turquiose blue eyes like Ash's. Derek can feel the smile tugging at his lips as Jade can say his name now..almost. Jessie notices this too, a dorky smile coming to her own face, glad Derek's letting that big wall of his down sometimes, if only a little.

"Yeah." Derek nods. Jade smiles at him before pulling away from Scott, following after Ash. Derek's eyes follow the girl and he ends up watching as Ash lifts Jade up and balances the toddler on her hip. She takes a sippy cup from the fridge and gives it to Jade. With a free hand, she pours coffee into a mug for herself. Jade giggles and smiles at her sister and Ash can't help but smile back, instantly perking up when she sees Jade's no longer upset with her. Scott put them both to bed last night, in Ash's bed. Jade curled up close to her sister, forgiving the yelling from before, not that it was even intended for her in the first place.

Ash feels eyes on her and looks up, spotting Derek. She gives him a small smile which he returns a little, glad to see she's not as upset as she was last night.

"Derek?" Scott says, realising he's not listening to him. Derek looks back at Scott, surprised he zoned out like that. Scott raises his eyebrows at the man. Jessie saw all of that but she's keeping any thoughts about what that could have been to herself.

"What?" Derek asks, acting like he didn't just get caught staring by all three of them. Scott brushes it off but Stiles narrows his eyes in the slightest.

"So, Stiles is going to get a name, give it to Ash then she pulls the file so we can hopefully find some sort of pattern or something, anything." Scott recaps briefly.

"Okay." They all nod in agreement. Stiles checks the time on his phone. "I should go, Dad will be home soon." He says, standing up.

"Okay, I'll see you tomorrow at school." Scott says.

"Okay." Stiles nods. "I'll see you tomorrow as well, Jess." He says, throwing her a smile. Jessie nods, smiling back. Stiles smile falls when he sees the look on Derek's face, similiar to the one Stiles was giving him moments ago. Derek certainly doesn't like that Stiles has gotten comfortable enough to call her 'Jess', that's what Derek calls her. "Bye, Derek." He says, avoiding looking the man in the eye. Stiles leaves the loft, leaving Derek, Scott and Jessie in the living room as Ash proceeds to bounce Jade as she drinks her coffee to help wake her up some. Having Jade around is definitely helping Ash feel better, and helping her mind not slip to the bad things..like her Mom.

Ash brings Jade back out to the living room and sets her down on the floor. Jade walks over to where her blocks are, starting to make a tower with them. Ash can't help but watch with a soft smile. If anything is going to help her get through all of this, it's her family. Ash catches Jessie paying more attention to Jade than what both of their brothers are saying. Jessie sees Ash watching her. Ash nods over to Jade, giving Jessie permission to go over to her. Jessie smiles more and slips past both males, going and sitting down with Jade.

As Scott and Derek continue to speak, Derek does glance at his sister. And when he does, he sees a spitting image of a young Laura playing with a much younger Jessie. He smiles a little at the memory before turning back to Scott.

While Jade's busy playing with Jessie, Ash slips upstairs. She changes out of what she slept in, putting on grey denim shorts and a white singlet. She's always got her boot knife, but she second guesses it, taking out a larger knife. Just in case. If she's taking out Jade, and she doesn't have claws and fangs, she's going armed. Noone's hurting her family anymore. She shoves her feet into her combat boots and walks back downstairs. She swipes her keys off the counter and lifts Jade up off the ground.

"Where are you going?" Scott asks, seeing Ash's dressed and ready to leave.

"I'm gonna take Jade to the park. It's a nice day." Ash shrugs. She wants to sit in the sun as well, but she knows how much Jade loves the park in town, that's why Scott takes her there.

"Um.." Scott says, not sure if after 3 murders he wants his sisters going out there.

"We'll be fine." Ash assures him. Scott still looks doubtful. "I'm armed, we'll be fine." She stresses. Scott sighs and nods, knowing she probably wouldn't listen to him anyway. "Jessie, you wanna come?" She asks the younger girl.

"Yeah." She nods with a smile. She can feel Derek looking at her so she turns around. "Can I?" She asks him because he's technically her guardian, her _very_ protective guardian. Derek looks at Ash before nodding. He knows Ash can get dangerous if she needs too, point A-skateboard to Danielle's face, she trusts Jessie will be safe with her. Besides, Jessie can protect herself anyway.

"Wait, are _you_ carrying?" He asks her. Jessie lifts up her shirt a little, showing him where the knife he gave her is tucked into her jeans. Ash smirks, impressed. "Okay, go on." He says.

"Thank you, your majesty." She says cheekily with a small bow before following Ash out. The two males share a look once they're gone, both wondering what sort of trouble their sisters could get into together.

..

..

 **I like Ash and Jessie's friendship! Especially since there's probably not going to be any Allison or Lydia. But aw :3 Everyone's looking at everyone, staring for a little too long ;) But, bodies are piling up :O And, Rafael's going to get worse,** _ **badder**_ **. Favourite, follow and review!**


	15. Then It Turned Bad

**This one's going to be a sadder chapter than usual :(**

 **Shout out to:**

 ***Serena Sterling: Um..he's worse this chapter, and he's so,** _ **so**_ **much worse in chapter 17, you're going to want to kick his butt! I like their friendship too :) I don't really know, I just started writing and I didn't include them, I don't really understand their characters enough to write them as well I think. You're welcome!**

 ***momentum123: Thank you! They will, it's just a slower burn than Jessie and Stiles :)**

 **..**

Ash stands behind the swing, pushing Jade on it. Ash's smiling, and she feels light for the first time in a long time. Jessie swings herself in the swing beside Jade. The sun's shining over them all with a comforting warmth. Jade giggles and laughs as her sister pushes her on the swing.

"So." Ash says, looking over at Jessie. Jessie looks at her. "You and Stiles get along pretty well." She comments. Jessie nods.

"Yeah, me and Scott as well." She says. Ash nods, a little smirk on her lips. Jessie sees it and she knows why it's there. She blushes lightly but decides to get Ash back by bringing something up too.

"So, you and my brother?" Jessie says.

"What?" Ash asks, too quickly, eyes snapping back over to the girl.

"You get along pretty well now, is what I meant." She says with a little smirk on her own.

"Oh..yeah, I guess." Ash nods. She swore by the tone of Jessie's voice that she was implying what Ash was implying. And actually, Jessie was. Well, she was more testing the waters.

They swing some more, enjoying the sun and the heart-warming sound of baby Jade laughing and asking to go higher.

But the good time is short-lived when someone grabs Ash's arm.

"What the hell?" She says, pulling away from them. She steps closer to Jade when she sees it's their father. Jessie sees the man and stops swinging, getting to her feet and standing close to Ash.

"I need you to come with me." Rafael says to her.

"No." Ash refuses, shaking her head.

"Easy way or hard way, Ash, it's your choice." He says, a pair of handcuffs in his hand. She frowns.

"You can't do this." Ash says. "I haven't done anything wrong." She says. Jessie doesn't say anything, not wanting to get in their family business but she's staying where she is in case Ash needs her to step in.

"So, that's not a knife?" Rafael asks, spotting the handle sticking out of her shorts. Rafael was just going to talk to her but then he saw the weapon. This is going to work in his favour though, he needs to talk to her, alone. Ash looks down, seeing it. She sighs, glancing at Jessie and then back to Rafael. "Just co-operate. Come with me, and I'll make sure you're not charged or anything." He proposes. Ash looks back at Jessie.

"Here." She says, handing her car keys to the younger girl. Jessie takes them, frowning at her. "Take Jade home." She says.

"Ash?" Jessie says, not liking this at all.

"Jessie, just go. It's okay." Ash says. Because if they cause a fuss, and Jessie's searched, they'll find her knife and she'll be in trouble too. Ash is trying to avoid dragging Jessie down as well. Jessie looks at Rafael and then back to Ash. Ash nods and Jessie reluctantly listens. She lifts Jade out of the swing and starts walking over to the car.

"Ashy?" Jade says, seeing her older sister isn't coming with them.

"I know. But it's okay, alright? Everything's okay." Jessie tells her as she gets to the car, clipping her into the carseat.

..

Jessie takes the stairs two at a time up to the lofts, holding Jade instead of letting her walk so she can get to Scott and Derek faster. Jade's been fussing, worried that Ash is no longer with them. She's starting to get upset, scared even. Jessie doesn't knock or anything, just goes straight inside.

"Jessie?" Derek says, seeing the girl's a little out of breath and Ash isn't with her.

"Where's-" Scott starts.

"Your Dad just took her to the station because he saw her knife." Jessie cuts him off, letting Jade down as she's squirming. "We have to go down there." Jessie says. Both men get to their feet. "Here, her car keys." Jessie says, tossing them to Scott. Jessie will admit, Ash's Camaro was nice to drive, just like Derek's is.

"I've got Jade." Derek says, lifting the girl up. Jessie is about to say she'll take her again but then Jade wraps her arms around Derek's neck, hiding againist his chest. Derek has to ignore the way his wolf whines as it can feel how distressed Jade is. Jessie is surprised again but follows the men out, sliding the loft door shut behind them.

Scott's getting into the car when he pauses, seeing how Jade clings to Derek and how Derek attempts to soothe her. When Derek looks up at him, Scott gives him a thankful nod before getting into the driver's seat.

..

"Now." Rafael says, sitting down opposite Ash. They're in a questioning room, just the two of them. "I have no delusions that you and I are going to be how we used to be." He says. Ash scoffs.

"How we used be?" Ash repeats.

"I meant being a family-"

"No, we won't. We were never a family. _You_ were never family, you're own doing." She cuts him off. "I have things to do, charge me or let me go." Ash says, wanting to get away from him as quick as she possibly can.

"No." Rafael says. "I'm working a big case here, you understand that, right?" He asks her.

"I know." Ash says. "I'm aware of what's happened." She says. Then it clicks. "Heh. You were never here for us, were you? You were here on work, on that first murder case." She accuses with a disbelieved huff of laughter because she knows she's right.

"No, I'm not specifically here for you and your siblings." He admits. "But that doesn't change anything, we still want to take Jade."

"You not being here for your kids? What a surprise." She says sarcastically.

"Listen." He says lowly, leaning closer to her. "I strongly advise againist telling anyone about our little encounter." He says, looking at where her wrist is still lightly bruised. "I'm sure getting me fired by telling John about it has crossed your mind, maybe use it to mess up my adoption application too." He says, and it has.

"I don't really give a shit what you advise againist." Ash says, narrowing her eyes.

"Let me put it this way then." Rafael says. "If you go to John, or any other officer, when I take full custody of Jade, because I _will_ find a way to get it, I'll make sure you _never_ see her again." He says with a small smirk. In Rafael's world, he's always come first, it's why he walked away from his family. So, he's making sure his career isn't in jeopardy and that Danielle gets what she wants too.

"What?" Ash asks, frowning. "N-no, you'd never get away with that." She says, feeling anger boiling over. "I'm her sister, I have rights too."

"Wouldn't I?" He asks. He brings out a file, placing it down on the table. Ash sighs, seeing the words printed along the tab.

 _Ash Piper McCall_

"Are you threatening me?" She asks him. "Trying to scare me? It's not going to work. I'm going to be in that court when you attempt to take Jade. I'm gonna fight for her, she's coming home with me and Scott, under _my_ guardianship." She tells him.

"An interesting read, I must say." Rafael says, ignoring what she just said because Danielle already told him. "Not all of it I was there for-"

"That's because you're a drunk piece of shit that walked out!" She snaps, unable to keep it in anymore. Rafael slams his hand down on the table and Ash flinches away.

"Watch your mouth." He says calmly, pointing at her. Ash glares, not saying anything else. He opens the file, clearing his throat. "Vandalism. Forgery. Theft. And your newest one, hacking. _Very_ impressive." He says sarcastically, crossing his hands over the folder. Ash clenches her teeth, wanting nothing more than to reach over the table and slam his head down, bust up his stupid nose. "You really think, if you go againist me for custody, that you'd win?" He asks her. "My file is clean, no charges. All I have is field hours for my work, FBI and local PD." He boasts.

"You're _not_ taking Jade." Ash says.

"You better hope not, because _when_ I take that kid.." He says, a smirk coming to his face. He knows exactly how to push her buttons. Ash is always been about family, that's how Rafael can get to her. He's know _exactly_ how to manipulate her. "You'll never see your sister again. In fact, I might even file for Scott too. You've already lost your mother, don't make this worse for yourself. Just give up, let us take her without this getting messy, I promise you'll get to visit her sometimes." He says, just trying to push her over the edge to show her he has more power than she does. And it works, she snaps.

Ash swipes the coffee off the table and her file, letting the papers fly and the coffee spill everywhere while the cup shatters againist the wall. But all that anger, all that hate, quickly turns to defeat. And soon, she's in tears, hanging her head.

"Good. You do get it." Rafael says. "I had a change of heart, I'm letting you off." He says, putting her knife back on the table before getting up and walking out of the room.

Ash just stays sitting, weeping into her hands. But she explodes again, flipping the table and standing up, shoving the chair away from her. When there's nothing left in her reach for her to destroy, she sits down on the ground with a heavy sigh. She sniffs, not letting anymore tears fall for that _bastard_. Because he's not separating them, she won't let him. She glances over at the papers on the floor. Ash sighs again before gathering them up, because they're her's, and they're coming with her. She picks her knife up too, being sure to conceal it again.

Derek and Jessie follow Scott into the station. Derek's still holding onto Jade, she hasn't loosened her grip on him at all. Scott's eyes search for John. But, they fall to someone else, the one person he really doesn't want to see.

"Where is she?" Scott asks his father, malice in his voice.

"It's good to see you too, Scott." Rafael says, looking at his son.

"Where is she?" Scott repeats impatiently.

"Down the hall, first room on your right." Rafael answers. Scott doesn't say anything else, just goes down the hall. Rafael's eyes linger over Derek and Jade. The way she clings to him and he holds her protectively, like he won't let anything happen to her. Then his eyes fall to Jessie. Derek puts his arm around his sister's shoulders, leading her past him, not letting the man look at either girl for long. "I'd knock, she's not in a very good mood." Rafael says. It takes alot for Scott to not say anything nasty back to that statement.

When they reach the room, Ash is already walking out. There's a moment of silence as they look at each other. She quickly shuts the door so they don't see the destruction she left back in there. And she quickly wipes the tears from her face too. Ash feels relief flush out the anger in her gut when she sees Derek holding Jade.

"Give her to me." Ash says quietly, looking at Jade. Derek nods, handing Jade over to Ash. Ash holds Jade close to her, happy to know she's safe in her arms. Ash brushes her hand down Jade's hair, leaning their foreheads together.

"Ashy." Jade says, hugging around her sister's neck like she was doing with Derek. Even at her young age, she knew something was wrong at the park. She knew something was wrong with her sister too.

"I know, I'm here now." Ash tells her with a small smile, rubbing her back. Scott frowns, all of them are able to see she's upset, her eyes red and glassey from when she was crying before.

"Ash, what happened in there?" Scott asks her. Ash shakes her head with a sigh. Jessie puts her hand on the girl's arm gently. Ash doesn't snap or pull away, she lets the girl comfort her silently. "Hey, hold on, what's this?" Scott asks, noticing the marks around her wrist that are still healing, not quite faded away yet. Derek looks at Ash for an answer as well. But she's not giving them one.

"Just..take me home, please." She says, voice still quieter than usual.

"Okay, come on." Scott says, squeezing her shoulder. Derek follows the siblings with furrowed eyebrows, she's not okay. Ash doesn't even spare her father a glance as they all walk past him and then out of the station.

They all get into Ash's car. Ash gets into the back with Jade, she doesn't put her in the carseat, just lets her sit in her lap. So Derek gets into the passenger's and Scott drives while Jessie sits in the back with Ash and Jade.

As they drive back towards the loft, Ash takes a calming breath, holding Jade close to her. She wasn't going to say anything about her and her father anyway, it's her business only, but for him to push her to that limit, to talk about Jade like that..it is rare for her to snap like that and then burst into tears. But she's okay now, she's away from _him_ , and she has her sister with her. Everything's fine, for now.

..

That night, Jessie sits on the sofa. She just can't get what happened out of her head. The way Ash looked so crushed when they finally got to see her. It just felt all wrong to Jessie, it looked wrong, it just..it was wrong.

"What are you thinking about?" Derek speaks up. He's been leaning againist his room's doorframe for a couple minutes, watching Jessie. She's been frowning down at the ground, obviously in some kind of brooding state of her own.

"What the hell happened today?" Jessie asks, looking over at her older brother. "At the station? What was that about?" She asks.

"I don't know." Derek says. "What happened when you were with her?" He asks, walking over to sit down beside her. Jessie moves so she's sitting side-on, so she can hold a proper conversation with him.

"We were just there, just hanging out. Talking about.." Jessie trails off, because they were talking about her and Stiles, and little bit of Derek and Ash. She doesn't really want to tell Derek that. Derek just frowns a little at the sentence stopped short. But he doesn't press for answers, girls will talk about..well, 'girl stuff' when they're alone together. Derek doesn't think he wants to know. "He just..he came over to us. He said she had to leave with him, made out it was for the charge of having the knife on her but I don't think he even knew she had it until he'd come over." Jessie says.

"Did he say anything to you?" Derek asks her. Jessie shakes her head.

"No. Ash gave me her keys and told me to take Jade home, that's it." Jessie says. "There was something definitely not right between them, I don't know what it was." Jessie shakes her head. "The guy makes my goddamn skin crawl." Rafael just creeps Jessie out.

"Stay away from him." Derek says firmly. He does _not_ like the sounds of this man anywhere near his little sister.

"I plan too." Jessie says. "Just sucks, you know?"

"What does?" Derek asks her.

"The shit they have to go through." She says, nodding in the direction of the McCall loft. She lets out a weak huff of laughter, even though none of it is funny. "They lose their Mom, and their Dad appears out of nowhere and tries to take their sister away. How is that fair?" Jessie asks Derek, looking at him with a frown. She's come to like Scott and Ash, as good friends, they don't deserve this.

"It's not." Derek says. "But sometimes..these things happen. And no, it's not fair, and they don't deserve it, Melissa didn't deserve it either." He says. Jessie nods and lifts her knees up, wrapping her arms around them and looking at her hands.

"Do you.." Jessie's voice is so much quieter now and she won't look at Derek anymore. "Do you think..do you think I deserved it?" She asks, no louder than a whisper.

"No." He says immediantly.

"Because I was there and I couldn't do anything to stop it-"

"No, Jessie, you didn't deserve it." He cuts her off, only speaking for her, not himself. He doesn't want to hear her placing any blame on herself when Derek knows deep down the mistakes he made with Kate are what brought on the demise of their family, not anything Jessie could or couldn't do.

Jessie doesn't say anything back to that. She just looks down at the 4 claw marks along her forearm that have turned white over time. From her own mother's claws. Jessie came home early, she saw the fire, she had to watch. She tried to pull her mother out, they held onto each other so tightly. But she was 11, there was no way she was pulling her mother out the basement window. There was no way. It was useless, but she tried and she tried because she couldn't not, she had to try and save her family.

Jessie just picks at her nails and they're quiet for a few minutes. She thinks back to what Stiles said to her.

 _Derek will understand. Just talk to him._

And while they're here, already in this serious state from having a more in-depth conversation than they're used too..she should bring it up. She knows she should. She probably should, or it's just going to eat away at her until she explodes-

"What?" Derek asks her, seeing the wheels turning in her head, sensing her perturbment. Jessie looks up at the ceiling, blowing out a breath.

"I have to talk to you about something." She says, her eyes settling on Derek again.

"Jessie, what have you done?" He asks her.

"Jeez, what the hell?" Jessie asks. "I didn't do anything." She says matter-of-factly. "Why do you always go to that? That I've done something?" She asks.

"The same reason why you keep asking questions instead of just getting to the point." He says, raising his eyebrows at her. "What's going on, Jess? Noone's listening, it's just us. You can talk to me." He says, that rare comforting, nurturing side of him coming out. That's a side only Jessie really ever gets to see.

"We need to talk about Peter." Jessie says. Derek's face falls a little, he knew they'd have to have this conversation at some point.

"I can't cut him off, Jessie-"

"Why not?" Jessie asks him. "Look at what he did, to Laura-"

"That was a mistake." Derek says.

"Are you kidding me?" She asks him. This conversation quickly went sideways. "She lured her back here and-"

"I know what he did." Derek cuts her off because he doesn't really want to relive it all again.

"Then why do you brush it off so easily?" She asks him. Derek sighs. "Is it that you don't care?"

" _Don't_." He warns her, getting to his feet. "Don't you dare."

"Don't _I_ dare?" Jessie asks, standing up as well. "You let him walk around this house like he's done _nothing_ wrong! Like he's a goddamn saint!" She snaps. The loud yelling late in the night awakes Isaac from his slumber upstairs in his room.

"I know what he did was wrong, don't say it like I don't." Derek says, trying to be the mature one and keep his temper in check.

"Wrong? _Wrong_?!" Jessie has other ideas though. "He _murdered_ our sister!" She yells at him. "She looked after us, she held us together and he just comes along and snatches her away!" Jessie yells, her eyes filling up with tears. Isaac stays as still as possible, terrified to alert them he's awake while they're in the middle of a fight.

"Jessie, I know." Derek says, stepping closer to her, bringing both of his hands up.

"How can you just look past it-"

"I'm not!" He snaps, needing to defend himself because he can't let her think he's okay with what happened to Laura, because he's not. Not at all. "I have _never_ looked past it!" He yells. Isaac does cringe a little at the alpha's booming, angry voice.

"But you forgave him!" She yells right back.

"No, I won't _ever_ forgive him for that!" Derek corrects her. "But he's family, he's Mom's brother-"

"He's not my family!" She says. "I had a family, and they _died_." She says, tears slipping down both of her cheeks. "And then he killed what was left of it!" By now, she's in tears because she's been hurting for so long, and she's kept it all inside for so long and every time she looks at Peter she feels nothing but pain and wishes he could be that Uncle that would pick her up from school and take her out for ice-cream. But he's not. He's a murderer.

Derek tries to touch her, to help comfort her because it's obvious to him that she's been hurting for a long time and she's only now letting it spill over. Jessie moves away from him though, like his touch will only hurt her more. And just like when Jade ran away from Ash, Derek feels his stomach drop.

"I can't do this anymore." Jessie says, looking at him with watery eyes. "I have to go." She says, sniffing back her tears. Isaac's face falls as he hears Jessie say that. He knew it was bad between her and Peter, but he never thought Jessie would leave.

"Jess..wait." Derek says as she heads for the door, not able to occupy the same space as her brother right now. Jessie stops at the door but she doesn't turn to him.

"Me and Peter can't ever be what you and him are. I'm sorry." She says before leaving. Derek just watches her leave, with no bags, nothing. She isn't going far anyway, it's too late to walk anywhere.

When the loft door shuts, dividing them, Derek lets out a shaky exhale. He runs a hand through his hair. He won't admit out-loud how much it actually hurt for him to watch her walk out like that, walk out on him. He lets his frustrations out in a quick burst, shoving the lamp off the table, not caring as it breaks along the floor. He clenches his teeth, sitting down on the floor. He sighs, not knowing what he's supposed to do now.

Isaac, still, keeps quiet. He doesn't want to get involved, mostly because he doesn't know what to do to help, or if his help would even be wanted.

Stiles was supposed to go up to Scott's room when he was done watching the third Star Wars. Ash, understandably, turned in early, took Jade to bed with her. Scott yawned an hour ago and went up to bed too. So, when there's a knock on the loft door, Stiles stirs awake.

"Ash?" Jessie calls out quietly. Because, where else is she going to go? Let's face it, Ash is Jessie's closest friend that's a girl.

Stiles gets up when he hears Jessie's voice though. He unlocks the loft door, pulling it open. He didn't expect to see the girl in tears on the other side of the door.

"Jessie?" Stiles says, a frown darkening his features now. "Hey, what's wrong?" He asks, concern filling his voice.

"Is..is Ash in?" She asks.

"She's sleeping." Stiles says. Jessie nods and she's about to leave, she doesn't want Stiles to see her cry. Stiles catches her arm. "Jess, what's going on? What happened?" He asks her. She looks down, fresh tears filling her eyes. "C'mon, come inside." He says. "It's okay, Jessie, come inside." He coaxes. She walks into the loft and Stiles shuts and locks the door behind her again.

Stiles leads her over to the sofa, sitting down with her.

"Jess, what hap-" He doesn't even get all of the question out before she starts to cry again, hugging him tightly. Stiles looks at her sadly before bringing his arms around her, hugging her back. He rubs her back in gentle circles, trying to help calm her down. "It's okay, it's alright." Stiles tries to soothe. Jessie doesn't actually tell him anything, but Stiles allows himself to be her shoulder to cry on because he does care about Jessie and he does want to be there for her.

Luckily for them, the three McCalls are far too exhausted to wake up.

..

..

 **Don't sweat it, the two Hales won't be like this forever, but that fight was bound to happen. Favourite, follow and review!**


	16. Predicted Surprises

**Shout out to:**

 ***Serena Sterling: Yes, they will get closer :) I hate Rafael too, and next chapter you're going to hate him so,** _ **so**_ **much more! He's going to go to the** _ **extremes**_ **! Jade is very cute, especially with Derek :)**

 **Just wondering, do you like that I'm doing longer chapters? Normally, on my other fics, they would be half the size of these ones but I think the longer ones are better.**

 **..**

The following morning, Ash sits up on the rooftop of the loft complex building. A Marlboro cigarette hangs from her lips, her favourite. She fiddles with her leather zippo, flicking it open and closed, open and closed. Scott and Stiles are downstairs in the loft with Jade. Ash just came up here for some space, some fresh air. She actually came up here at dawn, watched the sunrise with the cool air and the sounds of birds chirping. It was nice, relaxing, it made her feel better.

She was very surprised to find Jessie and Stiles curled up on one of the sofas together when she got up this morning. But that she'll keep to herself. It's not like they were spooning or anything, Stiles has just holding her. But Ash knows that on the inside, it's more than that for Stiles, and probably Jessie too. The way he held the girl, like he was protecting her, like he was watching over her in his slumber.

She doesn't turn around when the rooftop door is opened. She knows she's not supposed to be up here, residents aren't allowed up here, only maintence workers. But, she thought that since she knew the owner of the entire building, maybe she could get off any troubles with a slap on the wrist. She needed space, this is the best place. She would have gone to the woods but after her mother and the other murders..she can't, she doesn't want to go back there just yet. So, if she's about to get in trouble, she doesn't really care.

"Scott said I'd find you up here." She's surprised by the voice she hears.

"Well, here I am." Ash replies, still just looking out over the town. This high up, she can see everything, it's beautiful. Derek walks over to her, with some caution. He doesn't know exactly what happened yesturday, but he does know she was quite upset. And that clinginess and protectiveness towards Jade for the rest of the day tells him it had something to do with the young girl.

He's not so sure how she's feeling now. He pulls himself up onto the fan block box she's sitting on, taking the spot beside her. She holds her smoke out to him in offering. He shakes his head and she just brings it back to her lips again.

"Is Jade okay?" Ash breaks the silence that was hanging between them. Derek glances at her, seeing that motherly hold to Jade come out of the girl again.

"Yeah." He nods. "She's fine, she's playing with Stiles while Scott studies for his History test tomorrow." Derek says. Ash actually smiles a little, turning to face him. "What?" Derek asks.

"Nothing, I just didn't realise you checked in on them like that." Ash says. Derek doesn't say anything back to that because he isn't sure what to say, he didn't really realise he did that either.

"Have you uh..have you seen Jessie?" He asks her. Ash turns her head to look at him. "We had a fight last night and she walked out. She won't answer my calls. She text to tell me she was fine but I don't know where she is." He sighs.

"She was crashed on my sofa this morning. I didn't know she was over until this morning, Scott must have let her in, I was asleep." Ash says, but that's all she's revealing about what she saw his morning. "Whatever happened..she'll be back, just give her some space." Ash says. She doesn't know what happened but she does know how girls like Jessie work, girls like both of them.

"I was just there, she's not there anymore. Scott and Stiles don't know where she is either." Derek says.

"If she isn't back by lunchtime, I'll go look for her myself." Ash says. "She's okay, she just needs a little space, you'll see." She assures him.

"I don't know about that." He says. "I think she's leaving..going back to South America-"

"Whoa, no. No, she's not going anywhere, trust me." Ash stops him.

"Last night she told me she couldn't do this thing with Peter anymore, and that she had to go." Derek says. "I think she's done."

"No, she's not." Ash shakes her head. "She just.. Just give her some time." She says. She doesn't know how she knows exactly, but Ash knows Jessie won't be taking off. She loves Derek too much to leave again, and she's made friends here, and of course, this thing blooming with Stiles. Someone like Jessie isn't going to just walk away from all of that because of Peter.

Derek just nods, having some faithful hope that there's truth in Ash's words.

"What are you doing up here, Ash?" He asks her after a few minutes of silence.

"Needed some space of my own, to think." She says, blowing out a white cloud of smoke to her side, away from Derek. "And I gotta burn this." She says, bringing her file out of her jacket pocket that she just spent an hour staring down at.

"What is it?" Derek asks, looking at it.

"When I was taken into the station yesturday, my Daddy dearest thought we'd take a stroll down memory lane." Ash says with a scoff.

"It's your criminal record." Derek realises.

"It's a copy, real one's probably in their archives." Ash says.

"Is that why you were so upset yesturday?" He asks. Ash gives him a blank look. "Because of your record?" He asks. Ash doesn't answer that. Derek saw that coming though, he didn't think she'd answer. "Can I read it?" He asks. Ash looks at him, raising her eyebrows.

"Yeah, sure. When I can read your's." She says.

"You know mine." He says. "2 murder charges, both dropped. And both courtsey of your brother." He says. But she can tell by his voice that he's moved passed that.

"I'm sure there's other interesting things in it too." Ash says.

"Well, too bad I don't have it." Derek says, even though he knows for a fact there's more than the two dropped murder charges. There's quite _alot_ more, from his teenaged years though. That almost feels like another life now.

Ash chuckles under her breath weakly. She's not feeling too hot this morning, considering she had a restless sleep, tossing and turning most of the night.

"You really wanna know what's in this folder?" She asks him.

"I'm curious." Derek admits with a nod.

"Scott can't know though, noone else can. It has to stay between us." She says and he nods. She never thought she'd have secrets with Derek but hell, it's nice to get at least _1_ thing off her chest.

She opens the folder, looking down at it again. Most of the words are already craved into her memory but if she doesn't look at the page, she'll have to look at him. And right now, admitting this part of her life that she's not that proud of, she can't meet his eyes.

"My first offense was uh.." Ash hesitates because only her mother and father know these things. And now she's going to reveal them to Derek. "It was..vandalism, at 16. Smashed the windows in at tv store in town. Forgery, at 16 as well. That one was stupid, my Dad wouldn't sign for me to go on this school camp so I did it for him. It was the last memory I'd have of school before I left and instead I got in alot of trouble. Then of course, theft at 17. I don't remember exactly what it was that I caught for, I'd been hopping shops for most of the day. Sounds bad but it wasn't really, I didn't have the money to buy Scott new shoes, or new jeans, and he really needed them. John got me off that one, only spent the night in the holding cell and didn't get charged because of the circumstances. And my hacking days started when I was 18, I got caught in the local police database once. When I started I wasn't good at covering my tracks, I'll never make those mistakes again." She reveals. She's got to admit, she does feel better. "And, of course, my little overnighter for assult the other day." She sighs. She keeps her eyes downcast still.

"Okay.." Derek nods. He will admit, he's suprised. He didn't expect all of that.

"Yeah, I know." She nods. "Not such the innocent girl you thought, right? You still have alot to learn about me." She says to him, just like Scott said to him too.

"I guess I do." He says. If Ash's being honest, she's a damn mystery to herself sometimes. "Like the fact that your middle name is Piper?" Derek asks. Ash's eyes widen and she flips her file over so he can't see her name anymore. She looks at him and he's wearing this little smirk that she's not often seen him wear.

"Dick." She says but it has barely any real malice in it, unlike how she would have said it a couple months back.

"Piper's cute, I guess." He actually has the balls to tease her about it.

"Fuck you." Ash says but she can't hold back her grin because she knows he's only kidding. It falls quiet, as they both realise they don't ever talk like this, and they don't ever joke or tease each other. Things are changing between them as well, slowly, they don't want to kill each other too much anymore.

Ash brings her file back out and opens it. She knows it's a copy, and it's out-dated, because it hasn't been updated to her mother's status, it still says that both parents are living. It also says she's still living at the old place. That makes her chest ache as she thinks about.

"Something wrong?" Derek asks, noticing her eyes just stare down at the pages. Ash doesn't answer that either. She just folds the file in half and flicks the top off her zippo.

"You mind?" She asks Derek, out of respect, she doesn't have to specify why.

"No, go ahead." He says. She lets out a breath before lighting the paper on fire. She drops it down and lets it burn.

It's oddly comforting for them both to sit there and watch the paper turn to ash, the fire lick it's way up the pages. Derek, because he need not be afraid in any way of the small fire. It's slow, controlled, not a roaring rage like the one that consumed his house and his family's lives. Ash, because even though it's a copy, it feels like the things she admitted to Derek, the things that are written on those pages, burn away with the truth. And the truth is, she was a goddamn handful, but she kept her mother out of it best she could. And no matter what, she was always there for her family, so she's not ashamed. She's not that proud, but she isn't ashamed either.

They both look over at the door when Stiles comes through, looking for Ash. After Derek's enquiry, Stiles knew he'd be up here with her. But he needs her now, so they can break-up their little..whatever they're doing.

"Ash, I need you." Stiles says. "Can I steal you away from your stimulating conversation?" He asks with sarcasm, seeing they were just sitting in silence. Ash chuckles with a little more life this time.

"Yeah." She nods. While she butts out her smoke, Derek jumps down to his feet. He takes one of her hands and helps her down. "Thanks." She says with a small smile. She will admit, his gentle actions do surprise her. She knows he's capable, everyone is, she just didn't think he'd always be willing, especially not with her. She glances at her file, which is now just a pile of ash and burnt scraps of paper. Perfect. The two adults walk over to Stiles and then follow him back down to the loft. But Stiles stops outside of it, turning to Derek.

"Jessie came back." Stiles says. Derek moves to go inside but Stiles puts his hand to Derek's chest.

"Stiles.." Ash says, not liking where this is headed.

"I don't know what you or Peter or Isaac did to her, but she was a mess last night." Stiles says, only looking at Derek. He knows he's pushing it by getting in the middle of his and Jessie's family business, but he cares about Jessie, maybe more than he should. How she was last night, in tears like that, Stiles doesn't want to see it again, it broke his heart to listen to her sob like that.

"She came to _you_?" Derek asks, getting a little closer to Stiles as he narrows his eyes accussively, not really liking the sounds of that bond they've created.

"Hey." Ash says, putting a hand to both of their chests because she doesn't want them getting any closer. "Settle down, both of you." She says.

"She came looking for Ash, I was the only one still up." Stiles says. That makes sense to Ash now, from how she found the two of them asleep at the early hours of this morning. "I don't want it happening again-" And that was definitely bold on Stiles' behalf.

"Stay out of it-" Derek cuts him off, but Ash cuts him off, knowing this is going to get ugly quickly.

"Enough." Ash says firmer, gently pushing both of them apart, stepping between them. " _This_ -" Ash says, pointing between them. "-stops here." She says. She looks between them, meeting both of their eyes. Neither male say anything but they relax so Ash accepts that.

She opens the door, going in first. Jessie looks up and then down again when she sees Derek and Stiles. Derek, for obvious reasons, and Stiles because she broke down to him last night, he saw her so weak, but he didn't judge and she's grateful for that.

"I have this." Stiles says, walking over to the coffee table. He takes the note he wrote and holds it out to Ash. Ash takes it, looking down at it.

 _Name: Janet Hilliard_

 _Gender: Female_

 _Age: 32_

Ash looks back up at Stiles and nods. He nods to where he's already gone into her room and grabbed her laptop for her, putting it on the coffee table before he came to find her. Ash chuckles a little and sits down on the couch, leaning over the coffee table and putting in her password to get into her laptop.

"She was the latest one?" Ash asks Stiles as she brings up her programme and begins the hack.. _again_.

"Yeah." Stiles nods. As the males talk, Ash runs her hack. Jade plays on the floor with her toys, smiling happily. "Here, I got it." Stiles says when he sees the pages are printing. He darts upstairs and gets them, bringing them back downstairs. "Okay.." Stiles says as he opens up the three murder files. "Let's find a pattern then." Stiles says. Ash nods and the three of them move closer, looking down at them all. Jessie moves a little closer to Stiles and Ash moves more in Derek and Scott's direction. The heat between Jessie and Derek is clear, by the way they sit on opposite sides. And you can see it between Stiles and Derek as well.

It's quiet for a long time as they look and read. And I mean a _long_ time.

"This makes no sense." Ash sighs, leaning back. Scott, Stiles, Jessie and Derek looks up at her. "There's _no_ pattern here." She says.

"No..there's gotta be." Scott says. "Otherwise, how else do we find them?" He asks and noone has the answer to that.

"Well, they're all older, mothers, fathers, family people." Stiles says, trying to find some kind of connection.

"So maybe they're targeting families." Scott says.

"If that were true, why has noone come after you?" Derek asks Scott, looking at him and Ash because their mother was killed.

"I don't know." Scott sighs, rubbing his hands down his face. "Then we go looking. You said there were canine hairs on the body, that could be a wolf or some other were-something, I don't know." Scott says, getting flustered and frustrated with the lack of information. "We can find them by scent, right?" He asks Derek. Derek shakes his head.

"Remember when Peter was the alpha?" Derek asks. Jessie excuses herself right away, walking over to Jade and sitting down with her instead, not wanting to talk about Peter at all. Stiles looks from Jessie to Derek, Derek's looking at his sister. Ash's eyes flicker between the two Hales as well, knowing their problem is Peter, him being around, him being alive, just _him_ in general. Derek sighs and looks back to Ash, Scott and Stiles before continuing. "Their animal form is a completely different scent, there's no way we could track them." He reminds Scott. Scott sighs, all of them remembering how they had that problem with Peter. It means they can't find a real pattern. It means they can't track them. So in conclusion, they can't do _anything_ right now.

"Well, what the hell are we supposed to do?" Stiles asks. "Wait for another murder, hope they trip up and leave something behind or show us some kind of pattern?" He asks. Noone says anything because they don't want to argue but they're stuck between a rock and a hard place.

"No." Ash says, shaking her head. All eyes fall to her. "We're not _letting_ someone get murdered." She says firmly.

"She's right." Derek says. Ash looks at him, glad he backed her up. "The wolves will go out tonight. All the murders have happened after sun-down and before sun-up, at least we have a window. I'll take the wolves out, see if we can find anything. Ash, you should take Jade and Stiles over to my place, stay inside with Jessie and wait for us to come back." Derek says. Ash nods in agreement, liking that plan a _hell_ of alot more than doing nothing.

"Yeah." Scott nods, liking it as well. Derek looks to Stiles, and he nods too. He doesn't have to check with Jessie, he knows she'll agree too, and knowing how stubborn she is, she probably wouldn't answer him if he asked her anyway. "How much time do we have until then?" Scott asks. Ash checks the time.

"8, maybe 9, hours." Ash tells him.

"Okay." Scott nods. "We should tell the others and get ready." He says.

"We should be training, we don't know how strong these things are." Derek says.

"Okay." Scott nods. "Then let's train."

 _Knock, knock, knock. Knock, knock, knock._

Scott, Stiles, Jessie and Derek look to the door but Ash can tell by the knock who it is. Scott goes to get up but Ash grabs his arm.

"Sit down." She says, getting up herself. Scott frowns at her surprisingly strict voice, looking up at her. "I'll handle this." She says, going over to the door. All three males and even Jessie watch her. Ash opens the door, already knowing who's going to be on the other side.

"I have-" Rafael begins to speak. Ash pulls the door too some more when he tries to step inside. Rafael pauses, seeing he's not being allowed inside.

"Just say what you need too, then leave, you're not coming inside." Ash says, keeping completely calm.

"Alright." Rafael nods, keeping a similiar manner. "Here." He says, holding out a document. Ash takes it. She glances down at it and back up at her father. "In case you still had thoughts about coming to court." He says, by the tone of his voice Ash can tell he's more reminding her of what he plans to do if she does try to fight him in anyway. He'll take Jade, maybe Scott, and he'll tear their family apart, he'll never let Ash near Jade again. But, Ash doesn't scare that easily.

"Thank you." Ash says with some real sincerity, for him bringing her this so she has the details. Because she is going, she will fight him. So much shit has gone wrong these past couple weeks, Ash needs something to hook-up, something to go right for once. This, this fight for Jade, this has to be it. "I guess I'll see you there." Ash says before letting the door shut again.

She turns around and walks back into the loft. She ignores the 4 pars of eyes still looking at her as she unfolds the papers, looking for the date.

"When? How long do we have?" Scott asks, knowing the first thing she'll do is look for the date of the court hearing. Ash finds it, reading it.

"5 days." She says. She finally looks up, meeting Scott's eyes. "We've got 5 days."

"Scott, maybe you should stay." Derek offers, knowing this is a big thing for the McCalls. Just because the supernatural has come along and ruined their lives, it doesn't mean everything else, everything _human_ , stops.

"No, go." Ash shakes her head, looking at her brother. " _This_ is my fight. I can handle it." She says. Scott nods, knowing Ash needs to do this herself, for herself, for him, for their mother. It just has to be her, but Scott will be there to support her.

..

..

 **The fight for Jade is one, the fight to kill what's killing people is on too! Beware, next chapter, Rafael is going to get very** _ **nasty**_ **, the nastiest he's ever been! Favourite, follow and review!**


	17. Heinous Incursion

**Firstly, I'm** _ **so**_ **friggin' sorry this chapter is up so late! I wanted to put it up right away, because it's a darkly huge part of the story, but I didn't so sorry!**

 **Shout out to:**

 ***Serena Sterling: Yes, she is :) They had a little alone time so they needed some civility and conversation, maybe a little fluffy moment :P Much nastiest, as you will see in a second! You're welcome, thanks!**

 ***AlphaWolf19: Long review, whoa :) I really like writing Ash and Jade dynamics, but yes, it was a little like Boo and Sully :P I don't think Scott's going to date, I just like him as the little 'big' brother and the best friend :) I'm not giving anything away about Jade.. I'm evil! They certainly won't be having a kid anytime soon but I won't throw it off the table as a possiblity but no promises! Oh, my God, thank you, that's so sweet :3**

 ***Tesla424: Some Dash fluff and some Jiles/Stessis fluff too! This chapters big for Stessie, spoiler alert! I will tell you that Derek does get very mad with Rafael in the future but I won't tell you what happens, mohaha!**

 *** : I'm not giving anything away about that, sorry! It won't be a little while longer, but not** _ **too**_ **long :)**

 *** : Thanks, I didn't know that about court, I only know from a single parent's perspective from my own parent's experience. But, yes, Derek will become protective of them, definitely :)**

 **Awesome response you guys! I love coming on and reading the reviews, thank you :)**

 **Trigger warnings for described abuse in this chapter..**

 **..**

Before the sun goes down and Ash has to be over at Derek's with the rest of the pack's humans, she decides to go for a walk. Somehow, she isn't too sure how but she just goes with it, she ends up at the old place, her mother's house. Scott's got Jade so she's not worried about that.

She walks up her old street in her combat boots and her hands in her shorts' pocket. She hasn't been to their old home since her mother was murdered. But she wants to now because she believes they're going to get lucky tonight, they're going to find this killer. It wasn't until she saw the house did she realise why her feet led her here. She wants to go _home_ and tell her mother, in her own way of course, and that's what she's doing right now. And she wants her Mom to know she's got Jade, and she's got Scott, and they're safe with her, _always_.

She uses the key she still has on her keyring to get inside, locking the door behind her again. She does a little walk-through of the house before going upstairs. She goes into her mother's room and sits down on the bed. She lets out a breath, finding all of this a little overwhelming and emotional. She sniffs before she speaks.

"So, Mom..um..I guess what I want you to know is..we're gonna find who did this to you. And uh..I'm going to court in 5 days to take Jade on as my own child. I promise I'll be the best guardian I can be, like you were." She says. She chuckles, feeling awkward. "This is probably stupid, me talking to the air." She shakes her head. "Well..I don't care. I just wanted you to know that, and I came to the place where I felt most with you so..yeah." She says.

She sits on the bed for awhile, trying to milk the afternoon, and the alone time, for as long as she can before she has to go back. Ash rubs her hands down her face, thinking of how much her life has changed in so _little_ time, how there's been huge changes and she's barely had the time to wrap her head around them.

The biggest, hardest thing to swallow is, of course, the death of her mother. Her Mom was her rock, even if they fought, even if they didn't always get along, Melissa was her Mom. That bond, that connection, that's _forever_ , even in death. That's not something Ash, or Scott or Jade, will just get over in the space of a few days. Ash doesn't know if she'll ever be able to get over it. She feels like it'll just hang over her head for the rest of her life.

Her mother was _murdered_. Things like that, you can't really get over them. And Ash is actually okay with that, even if it hurts, it reminds her to keep her family closer than any friend or enemy or partner. Family is forever. Family is _everything_.

With the loss of such an important person in the McCall children's lives came something they didn't need, something that hasn't helped the grieving process in _any_ way.

Rafael McCall, the McCall's formerly absent father.

Having friends that are as close as blood, like Stiles and John, has helped the siblings alot. Having the people with big, kind hearts around, like Jessie, has helped alot too. And even if they don't show much, their actions do that for them, havng pack around like Isaac and Derek, just knowing they're there if they needed them, that helps too. But having their father back, their ' _Dad_ '..that hasn't helped at all. In fact, it's only made things worse, added to the crushing weight they feel, Ash inparticularly.

The one person that has surprised Ash the most with that, is Derek.

The alpha has come a long way, they all have, but he has the most. He went from this closed-off, angry _asshole_ who didn't do anything but yell and bark and snap his fangs, make death threats and throw Stiles againist walls, to this man that opened his home to a pack of wayward teenagers and young adults, to a man that _led_ that pack of wayward teenagers and young adults. Teenagers and young adults that have lost so much, just like he has, ones that are holding onto this pack for a reason.

 _Because they're all they have left_.

Outside of the pack, not very far outside of the pack, Stiles has his father and that's it. The Hales have noone, only each other. Isaac has noone. The McCalls have their Aunt and Uncle, who they love dearly but have decided, for the best, that they are to be kept in the dark about this supernatural world that has clashed into their own.

In reality, they only really have each other. Friends, family..it's all blurred into the pack in a subtle but _strong_ , unspoken way. They all need each other, whether they want to admit it or not, they do.

What they don't need, what Scott, Jade and Ash don't need, is the return of Rafael and his new girlfriend. Or their intentions to tear the McCall family apart with custody threats.

Rafael is _nothing_ like the pack are to Ash, Scott and Jade, their relationship with their father, their very _broken_ relationship, could _never_ compare to the relationships the pack members share with each other, human or wolf. Rafael's not like Stiles or John, not like Jessie, Isaac or Derek. He's out for himself, he's a salvage _bastard_ , and the McCalls would have been better off if he stayed away, if he never reared his head into their lives _ever_ again.

He's about to demonstrate that _perfectly_.

Her head perks up when she hears a noise downstairs. The door being unlocked. She frowns and stands up slowly. She hears the person come into the house. Ash is sure Scott's the only other person with a key to the house still, John too maybe. Ash quietly makes her way out of the room and down the stairs.

And when she sees it, when she realises what's happening right away. And all the other pieces fall into place too and..whew. She is _angry_.

"What the hell are you doing?" She asks angerily. Her father pauses, realising he's not alone. His hand on the safe, behind the painting, stops too. Ash knows exactly what's happening. "Wait..you're trying to take Mom's money." She accuses.

"It's my money too." Rafael says.

"No, it's not. You're divorced, it's not your's." Ash says, shaking her head.

"I'm taking Jade, and your mother wanted that money to go towards her, you know that." Rafael says, trying to convince Ash to not report him. Rafael thought that if he got Jade, he got the money too, because all the McCalls know Melissa wanted that money to be used to raise Jade, and for important things like schooling, or college for Scott, or even Ash if she ever decided to go back.

"I'm calling John." She says, reaching into her pocket for her phone.

"No. I won't take anything." He says, letting the painting cover the safe again.

"You tried to steal from my Mom, I'm calling him." She says in disbelief. If they were still married, he'd be entitled to half, but they haven't been married in years. That money is _all_ Melissa McCall's. And after her death, it actually goes to her kids, more specifically Ash considering she's the adult in the family, she's over 18.

Ash hasn't touched any of it, she knows her Mom would want it to go to something for Jade, like a trust fund or for school or something. It's just been crazy, she hasn't had the time to sit down and think it all through. But it's in a safe, Ash thought it'd be fine. Turns out, she was wrong.

"Ash, put your phone away." Rafael says, stepping closer to her. Ash shakes her head. "It was for Jade, for what your Mom would want it spent on." He says again.

"I knew I was right about you." Ash says. "You take what you want and then you take off, like you always have, like you _always_ will." She says, looking back down at her phone.

"Did you forget what I said to you? I'll take Jade from you, I'll get Scott put in the system, and I'll deny everything. I'll tear the family you have left apart, and I'll keep you separated, forever." He threatens. Ash swallows, unsure what to do now. She can't look past what she caught him about to do. It doesn't matter how much he planned to take or what he planned to take it for, it's not his to decide what it's spent on, it's not his to so much as touch.

"I can't ignore this. I can't stand knowing you'd be willing to hurt me and family just to get some money." Ash says. "I'm telling John _everything_." She decides. But before she can even dial a number, he rushes forward and grabs her by the arms. "Get off me!" She snaps, trying to pull away from him.

"You're not calling anyone." Rafael says, holding her still best he can. For someone small, she has fight. But Rafael is alot bigger, and he's stronger too.

"I'm not a child anymore, get your goddamn hands off me!" She says, angerily, managing to rip herself away from him.

"I should have put you in your place a long time ago." He says, stepping forward. "You're a child, an immature, dilenquent of a child! Your mother and I are ashamed of the criminal record you've marred our family name with." He says.

Ash swallows, feeling a huge wave of hurt roll over her. The one thing she hopes, the one thing she _prays_ for, is that her mother's proud, that her mother trusted and loved her for who she was, criminal record or not.

"You embarrasment!" He snaps at her, face turning an angry red as he throws insult after insult at his own daughter, his flesh and blood, talking like he wishes she was anything but his offspring, like he's embarassed he even has to share the same space as her.

Ash stands her ground though, but her heart's racing in her chest. Whether that's with fear, anger, hurt or adrenaline, she's unsure. It might be a mixture of all of the above.

"You don't put your hands on me again." She says. "Try me, and I'll slit your goddamn throat." She says through clenched teeth with conviction and strength she didn't know she could have in a situation like this.

She whimpers when an open palm strikes her across the face. Rafael does _not_ like being talked to that way.

Ash stills, her mouth parted and hanging open as she cradles her cheek with both of her hands. She's too shocked to move or say anything for at least the entirity of 5 whole seconds because _what the hell_? He just _hit_ her. He just _struck_ her. But that shock, turns to anger as her shocked face morphs into a scowl. Anything Ash was trying to hold onto, for her family's sake, that didn't make Rafael the cold-hearted, ruthless asshole he is.. _gone_.

He crossed the line, putting it _long_ in his review mirror.

Ash tastes blood in her mouth. On impact, her tooth cut into her lip a little. But one look in Rafael's cold eyes tells her he feels no regret for hurting her. It's the same look he wore that night he walked out, no remorse, he doesn't care who he hurts and that includes Ash and the rest of her family. And that's not okay with her, not at all.

He's no longer her family. Blood or not, you _never_ hurt your family like this.

So, she spits her blood in his face, am intense show of disrespect, an intense sign of his fallen meaning to her.

Another strike.

Rafael wipes his hand down his face, wiping her blood and spit from his face as the girl recovers from the back-hand. Ash tastes more blood, but she's too far gone, in her body and mind, with anger and hurt to stop. She wants to hurt him, she wants him to bleed too, on the outside and _inside_ like she is, like Scott is, like Jade is. She wants him to understand and feel the hurt the McCalls feel from losing Melissa. She wants him to _hurt_.

Ash throws a punch of her own, hitting him as hard as she can right in the eye. The man stumbles some, very surprised by the retaliation. Ash can and will hold her own and protect her family.

"You have no family, this is _my_ family." Ash says, she can see his eye already starting to swell and bruise. "You're nothing to us, you're not touching us." She says and it's not that far from the truth. A big part of her despises, _hates_ , this man. But not all of her. He's still her father, biologically, but she's seen his true colours and all she feels right now is anger and hate for him. He may be their other parent, but he'll never be _family_ again.

The next time he hits her, she falls to her hands and knees, her lip split properly. Some blood drips to the carpet. She coughs, feeling a little breathless now, the adrenaline-fueled courage wearing off.

"You..you can hurt me, but you can n-never hurt my family again." She glares up at the man, her voice coming out weak and breathed because the pain's starting to settle in now. She's hurt, and now she knows it. But, she pulls herself to her feet anyway. She stands talls, holding her head up high even though there's blood slipping down her chin.

"That should have been you, not Mom." She says angerily, tears coming to her eyes. She knows the words were cruel and malicious but they came out before she could stop them. She's just wondering how the hell God, or whatever you believe in, thought her selfless mother deserved to be murdered _horribly_ , but this pathetic, abusive drunk gets to walk around like he's untouchable, even after he's done terrible things to his own family, after he tried to steal from that family, after he hurt that family.

This time, Rafael grabs her by the shoulder. This time, it's a punch to the face, her cheek's cut under his ring. She shoves him back with everything she's got. When Rafael looks up at her like he's a lion and she's his prey, Ash finally realises how serious this is, how _dangerous_ this is.

She tries to scramble for the front door, knowing she _needs_ to get out before he goes too far. Ash isn't sure how far he'd go, but killing her isn't something Ash would take off the table. Her father is a _very_ twisted and cruel man. Rafael grabs her from behind, taking her long hair into a tight fist so she can't get away.

"Hel-" Ash tries to yell for help but a hand is clasped over her mouth and an arm is tightened around her neck. She claws at his hands, desperately trying to get away from him. She cries out againist his hand when his knee meets her ribs. Ash manages to squirm out of his hold, going for the door again. Rafael catches her by the arm, ripping her back and straight into a closed fist. When Ash tries to run again, Rafael bends her wrist back until a sick crack's heard. And then it's the knee again, making Ash cough hoarsely. There's tears coating her cheeks now, she's in so much pain.

"You tell anyone, and I'm coming after Jade and Scott, I'll take them away from you forever!" He threatens her angerily before he shoves her into the dresser and she hits her head.

Ash sways dizzily, trying to hold herself up by gripping the dresser tightly.

"Shit." Rafael says, realising how far he's taken this. The sad part is, he's not regretting actually hurting her, he's regretting how it was done, how easily this could backfire for him. "Listen to me closely, Ash." He says, grabbing her shoulder. She tries, weakly, to push him away but the room's spinning and she's bleeding, and she just doesn't have the energy. "You speak a word of this to anyone and it will be the _biggest_ mistake you've ever made, do you hear me?" He says, ducking his head to look the half-unconcious in the eye, even though her eyes are barely open.

"G't off me." She mumbles, tears down her cheeks, refusing to nod in agreement even though she knows she doesn't really have a choice but to agree.

"You remember that." He says firmly, squeezing her shoulder harder than he should. He lets her go and the girl all but falls to her hands and knees without him holding her. Rafael frowns, unsure what to do now. But really, there's only _one_ thing he can do.

Take off and hope she keeps it her self. And with his threats and warnings, he's sure she will keep it to herself.

So he does. He leaves her there, bleeding, hurting, _crying_ like a goddamn baby.

Disorientated and stumbling to walk, Ash hears her father's SUV drive away from the house, probably faster than he should. She coughs, cringing at the ache she feels in her side from his knee repeatedly meeting her side like he was playing the damn drums with his kneecaps.

She has to pause, her shaking fingertips reaching our to grab the staircase's railing so she doesn't fall, most probably right on her face, which is hurting enough already.

She staggers to the front door, her hands refusing to listen to her mind as she tries to open the door. She ends up leant againist it, her head pounding. After a few tries, she manages to get the door open _and_ get out of it.

The sun's setting, and quickly.

She falters as she walks down the driveway, swaying a little but the dizziness she feels is slowly getting better. Ash finds she can get her phone from her pocket, dialling the number of the only person she can rely on and trust 100%.

"Ash? We left an hour ago, youre supposed to be back before then. Where are you? Are you with Stiles and Jessie? I told Stiles to call me when you got back." Scott answers his phone after a single ring, having been waiting for someone to hear from the girl.

"Scott.." Ash says.

"Ash?" He says, his face screwing up because she sounds..bad. "Hey..what's going on?" He asks her.

"I need..I need help." She says. And no wonder the dizziness has died down. Because in the space of a second, she passes out. Her phone drops to the driveway as her body does.

"Ash? Ash, what do you mean? "What's happenng?" Scott asks. Derek hears the younger man starting to panic. He looks over at Scott, listening into his conversation strictly because Scott's eyes are wide with his very obvious panic. "Ash?" But all he's met with is a dialtone. "Ash?!" He yells like his raised voice will get her back on the line.

"Scott?" Derek says, seeing Scott's eyes are filled with dread.

"Something's really wrong." He says, looking up to meet the alpha's eyes. "I have to go, I have to find Ash." He says, shoving his phone back into his pocket.

It's Peter that grabs his arm.

"Get your damn hands off me!" Scott snaps, ripping his arm away from the eldest Hale. Right now, in this moment, he doesn't care about looking for these things, he cares about Ash.

"Peter, don't." Derek says.

"Me, don't?" Peter asks him. "We've found _nothing_ , he can't just take off-"

"She could be hurt!" Scott yells at Peter. Scott has no idea how right he is.

"Then she should have been back when she was told!" Peter yells back. You literally hear the pin drop before Scott's trying to attack Peter, but Derek anticipated that and he has a tight grasp on Scott. Isaac stands close to Peter, making sure the older man doesn't try to hurt Scott.

"Enough!" Derek says, pulling Scott away.

"Get off me!"

"Let's just go find your sister." Derek says. Scott struggles less after recieving the news that Derek agrees with him. And he does agree, because if he had gotten a phone call like that from Jessie, he'd already be gone.

Scott still pulls away from Derek roughly, he doesn't like to be man-handled. Peter opens his mouth to object but Derek just shakes his head, glaring daggers at the man.

"Come on, Scott." Derek says, looking back to him. Scott looks away from Peter to look at Derek. He gives the alpha curt nod before walking away, going back the way they came, trying to pick up some kind of scent because he has no idea where Ash could be now.

..

When Ash does wake up, she feels like she's hungover. Her entire body aches. Her head's the worse. Until she moves, then her whole left side is on fire with a stabbing pain radiating from her ribs. She can't breath properly, she's winded. She manages to pull herself up from the ground, her eyes trying to adjust to her surroundings. It's dark now, her mind catches up with her conciousness and she remembers she's on the driveway still. She tries to get to her feet but the pain's too much and she falls to her knees. She must be concussed as well because the sudden movement forces bile up her throat which sloppily splashes onto the concrete underneth her.

She lets herself fall back onto the hard ground, on her back. She just looks up at the big, _empty_ house she grew up in, feeling conciousness leaving her again slowly, black spots invading her vision until everything's dark again.

..

Jessie bounces Jade on her knee, making faces at her. Stiles chuckles when Jade starts making them back at her, poking her tongue out.

"Ash?" Jade asks, looking around for her sister. Scott said goodbye, but Ash didn't because she was supposed to be right back.

"She'll be here soon." Jessie tells her.

"I go." Jade says. Jessie lets her down to her feet and Jade starts wondering through the loft, looking at all the unknown and unfamiliar objects around the room. Jessie watches her with a soft smile. Jade's really grown on Jessie, as she has on Derek too.

"Do you think they'll be okay?" Jessie asks, turning back to face Stiles.

"You worrying about Derek?" He asks. She nods.

"And the rest of them. Peter not so much." She says.

"We've all been through alot of crap, this is a strong pack. Derek, he's ever stronger. They'll be fine." Stiles assures her. She smiles a little and nods, still feeling a little worry eating away at her. No matter how mad she gets at Derek, no matter how much they fight, she'd never want anything bad to happen to him. "Are you okay? After last night?" He asks her.

"Just a stupid fight..I tried to talk to him about Peter." She sighs.

"I'm sorry it went that way." Stiles says.

"So am I." Jessie says. "I just..I have a really bad feeling in my stomach and I don't know why." She says. Stiles moves a little closer to her, putting his hand on her leg.

"Everything's fine, Jess." He assures her, patting her leg. When he moves to pull his hand away, Jessie puts her's over his, stopping him. He looks down at their hands and back up at her. Stiles threads their fingers together and rubs the back of her hand with his thumb. He can tell she's worried, he is too. "Come here." He says. Jessie's hesitant but moves closer to him. She moves so she's sitting beside him, and Stiles lifts her legs over his lap. He rubs her leg in comfort and his other hand is still in her's. "Is this okay?" He asks her because they're much closer now, she's almost sitting in his lap.

"Yeah." Jessie nods, because she likes being this close to him. She rests her head on his chest and Stiles smiles softly. Then comes the shattering realistaion, he remembers who her brother is.

"You know, Derek would flip if he walked in right now." Stiles says but doesn't move at all.

"Yeah, I know." Jessie says but she doesn't move either. "But he's not here right now." She says, looking up at him. "It's just us." Stiles looks down at her and nods. His eyes fall to her lips and then back up to her eyes. He notices her eyes come back up to because she just did the same. They both smile shyly, both knowing what the other is thinking. But Stiles is the male, the _man_. He leans his forehead againist her's. She brushes her nose againist his slightly, bringing them just that little bit closer. Their breath is mixing and they're _so_ close. Stiles moves forward, ready to close that distance, _wanting_ to close that distance. Their lips are touching for maybe a _second_ before..

They both get such a fright from Stiles' phone ringing that Jessie leaps out of his lap, terrified that the noise is the wolves returning early. Stiles jumps up too, thinking the exact same thing. But then they settle down some, realising it's a ringing, it's his phone.

Stiles digs into his pocket for his phone, sighing in relief that it is only his phone and not the wolves coming back early that might have seen him and Jessie kiss.

"Yo, Scotty." Stiles answers, sharing a look with Jessie. Jessie smiles shyly, her cheeks a little red, as she goes over to Jade.

Jessie pokes her tounge out at Jade and Jade does it back.

"What?!" Jessie spins back around when she hears Stiles' panicked voice. Then she sees the horrified look on his face and she knows it's bad. "We're coming right now." Stiles says before hanging up. He grabs his Jeep keys and his hoodie. "Grab Jade, we have to go." He says, shoving his feet into his shoes.

"Stiles?" Jessie asks, worried and confused as she lifts Jade into her arms and grabs her own jacket. "What's going on? Is someone hurt?" She asks with a concerned frown as she slips her feet into her boots. And that look that Stiles turns to her with, pure distress, pure hurt.

"It's Ash, she's in the hospital, she's really hurt." Stiles tells her. Jessie's eyes widen.

"C'mon, let's go." She says, grabbing Stiles' hand as both of them bolt out of the loft.

..

..

 **Like I've said a billion times, Rafael is a bad,** _ **bad**_ **man. But Jiles/Stessie kiss :O Favourite, follow and review!**


	18. The Aftermath

**Shout out to:**

 ***Tesla424-He totally does suck butt! Peter does a little bit too!**

 ***Maxine Hale: I have to write your name this way because otherwise it diappears? That frustrates me alot, so sorry! Anyway.. Sadly, Ash, with fear of Rafael's threats, won't be running to anyone with the truth for a little while, but it** _ **will**_ **come out, that's a promise!**

 ***Serena Sterling: He is a jerk who needs his butt kicked, but not yet. Even though it's a creative idea, Derek won't be saving them in the courthouse, but he will change when it comes to the McCall females :)**

 ***Tesla424 (for chapter 14): Hehe, I love that comment 'that girlfriend material' :) I really like the two sister's relationship, Jessie and Ash's I mean. And I'm glad you like Jade, she is supposed to be adorable..but trouble too, just like her big sister :P**

 **..**

"Oh, my god." Jessie says, covering her mouth in horror when she sees Ash in that hospital bed. "Jesus Christ." She sighs, turning Jade away from it, knowing Ash wouldn't want her little sister to see this.

Stiles grits his teeth angerily, his eyes filling with tears. The only one is the room with her is Scott and the Sheriff. The rest of the pack stands outside in the waiting area.

"What the hell happened to her?" Stiles asks, walking up to Derek.

"We have no idea." Derek says, a frown set deep in his features too. "We found her like that, outside their mother's house." He says, his own anger bubbling just under his skin.

Stiles sees his Dad come out of the room, looking as hurt as Stiles feels.

"Dad?" Stiles asks, looking at him hopefully. John walks up to his son, stopping in front of the Hale pack.

"She's awake-" John starts. He grabs Stiles' arm when he tries to shoot into the room. "No, Stiles." He shakes his head.

"I have to go and see her." Stiles says.

"You can't, not right now." John says, slowly letting Stiles' arm go. "She barely spoke to me, she won't talk to Scott but he won't leave her side."

"What do we know, John?" Derek asks him. John sighs, shaking his head.

"What does that mean?" Jessie asks.

"We have nothing." John sighs. "She was just walking to the house, got pulled into a car, didn't see what kind or colour. Whoever it was beat her, then they kicked her from the car, left her at the house. She was mostly passed out for that part, woke up here." John tells them all.

"Shit." Stiles lets out a shaky breath, rubbing his eyes before his tears can fall. He's _never_ since Ash down like this before. He's never seen her so hurt, so..broken. Jessie goes over to him, putting her hand on his arm gently, knowing this is hurting him alot because Ash is like a big sister to Stiles.

"Injuries?" Derek asks.

"Concussion, broken wrist, bruised ribs, split lip, some cuts on her face, a bad one over her eyebrow that needed stitches." John tells him. Derek exhales sharply, this is his pack, he's supposed to protect them. "I'm sorry, I have to get back to the station, try and find something." John apologises.

"It's okay, Dad." Stiles assures him, knowing he feels bad that he can't do anything about this. He's the Sheriff, this is his town, these things that have been happening, the violence and the death, it shouldn't be happening.

"She's a tough kid, she'll be okay, Stiles." John says, squeezing his son's shoulder. He nods to Jessie, seeing she's trying to help comfort his son. Jessie gives him a weak smile in return. John walks away from them, down the hall.

Derek goes after him, quickly catching up with him, a disturbingly dark thought in his mind that he finds he can't get rid of.

"Wait." Derek says, John stops, turning to face the alpha. "Did she know _anything_ else? Man? Woman?" He asks.

"No, but by the injuries, I'd have to say it was a male, one alot bigger than her." John says. Derek nods but doesn't walk away again. "What is it?" John asks, seeing the younger man has something else on his mind. Derek looks up at him, unsure exactly how to ask this, so he just says it the best he can.

"He _only_ hurt her, right?" Derek asks. John looks at him, confused by what he means. "..On the outside." Derek clarifies, refusing to say the word he means. Because if this person, or people, they aren't sure yet, did all that to her, beat her down like that, there's no saying they didn't do something worse to her. And that thought makes Derek sick.

" _Oh_." John says, realising. "She didn't mention anything like that, I'm pretty sure it was just a jumping and beating, nothing else." He assures him. Derek nods, relieved by that. "Hey." John says, getting Derek's attention again. "I know I've never said this to you before, but thank you." He says.

Derek keeps quiet, just looking at the Sheriff with unspoken confusion.

"You don't only protect my son, you look after Scott and Ash, Isaac, your sister. And you help protect this town, that means something to me. It means alot to me." John says. "So thank you." He says sincerely. Derek doesn't know what to say to that so he just keeps quiet again, giving the Sheriff a firm nod. John nods back and turns back around, walking towards the exit.

Derek turns around to walk back over to the pack but pauses. Jessie now hugs and rubs Stiles back as he silently cries, seeing Ash like that is too much for him to handle. Jessie hushes him with soothing words, promising the younger boy that Ash will be fine soon. Jade leans her head on Jessie's chest, sleepy because it's late.

Isaac sits in a waiting chair, his elbows on his knees and his head in his hands, just looking down at the ground.

And in Ash's room, Ash is now asleep, far too exhausted to stay awake, stitches in her eyebrow and a red cast around her right arm and hand. Scott's just looking at her sleeping with watery eyes as the machines beep rhythmically in the background, an IV hooked up and leading into the girl's arm so they can keep her monitered properly. Scott knew something was wrong, deep down they all did, either by the broken voice on her end of the line or by the panic in Scott's voice during the phone call, they knew. Scott holds her uncasted hand in his, taking the leftover pain the morphine hasn't numbed, even though she's asleep, he just can't stand to see her in pain like this.

Peter stands away from the rest of them, not participating in their soured moods and saddened faces. He's still frustrated about the arguement him and Derek were having right before they found Ash.

Peter was blaming Derek for wasting their time, since they found nothing, and because they abandoned their search to go track down Ash. And Derek was just mad with Peter because his presence has put him and Jessie at odds.

But that all melted away when they smelt blood. They followed it, Scott knew it was Ash's before anyone else did. And they found her body, on the driveway. Broken. _Bloody_. Scott was the first one over to her, in a panic, but he couldn't bring himself to try to rouse her, or even touch her, scared to hurt her more than she already was.

Honestly, for a second, they all thought she was dead. Even Peter felt some remorse for the way he bad-mouthed her earlier.

Scott broke down in tears, unable to do anything to help except stare in horror, scared to get too close, scared to touch her, scared to listen for her heartbeat or breathing and hear nothing. But Derek saw he froze up, he knelt down beside her and found her pulse, assuring Scott she was alive. Derek then lifted the limp, unconcious girl up off the concrete and into his arms, all of them bolting for Beacon Hills Memorial.

Ash definitely means more to this pack than she thinks.

Derek goes and sits down next to Isaac, knowing they're all going to be spending the night here because they don't abandon injuried members of the pack, even if they are human.

"Is she gonna be okay?" Isaac asks, turning his head to look at Derek, like he has all the answers. But Isaac needs some reassurance from his alpha right now.

Derek nods, leaning his own elbows on his knees.

"She's tough, she's gonna be fine, Isaac." Derek says, knowing he's telling the truth. Ash is a strong girl, inside and out, they all know that.

..

 _The next morning_

Scott wakes to gentle nudging. His eyes open and he sits up, his head was on Ash's bed as he slept in the chair, not wanting to leave her side.

"Morning." Scott says, seeing it was Ash nudging him. "How are you feeling?"

"You have a practice exam today." Ash says, her voice a little hoarse. But Scott's just happy to hear her voice, talking to him. Last night, all she said was 'yes' or 'no' to the Sheriff's questions, she didn't even speak to Scott.

"It's not important-" Scott tries.

"Bullshit." Ash says forthrightly. "Go home, shower, eat, go to school." Ash says, sounding more like an order. She wishes Scott didn't have to see her like this. "Take the others with you." She says.

"Ash..I can't leave you here like this." Scott says.

"I'm fine." She sighs, looking back out the window because it hurts too much to look at her little brother and see the worry and twisted emotions reflected in his eyes.

"No, you're not. Did you even listen to the doctor when he said-"

"No." Ash shakes her head, because she didn't. She knows her body, she knows the damage, she didn't need to hear a doctor tell her as well. And she was so damn tired, she couldn't really listen anyway. "Scott. Go to school." Ash says, still not looking at him. Scott sighs.

"If we're all going to school, I'm leaving Derek here with you. He can watch Jade." Scott says. Ash just shakes her head because she doesn't want Scott to put that on him. "He won't mind. You're pack, he'd just worry about you if he wasn't here anyway." Scott tells her.

"I doubt that." Ash says, deciding to study each and every tree she can see out the window, like it'll help her feel better about completely avoiding eye contact with her brother.

"Don't. It's the truth." Scott says, because he knows, even if Derek won't admit to it, he feels the same pack bond with Ash that he feels with the wolves, just like he does with Stiles. Scott stands up. He leans forward, kissing Ash's head. "I'm so sorry this happened to you." He says. Ash sniffs, and she definitely doesn't look at him as tears shine in her eyes. But Scott heard her crack, but he doesn't comment on it.

"Go to school." She says again, not wanting Scott to fuss over her. Scott nods, kissing her head one more time. He squeezes her hand as he lets it go. Ash turns to face him only once she knows his back is to her. She watches him walk away before she turns her head to look out the window once again, over treetops and even the water on the edge of Beacon Hills.

"I have to ask a favour." Scott says, walking up to Derek who's been awake all night, watching over the pack, keeping guard.

"What is it?" Derek asks him, not mentioning the fact that his eyes have tears in them.

"We have crap at school..we have to leave." Scott says, quickly wiping his eyes when his vision blurs. It feels horrible to see his sister so hurt.

Derek knows what the younger wolf is saying is the truth because the others are awake too, debating whether they should stay or go to school, even though they know they have to go to school for these first run-through exams.

"If you don't mind, could you stay? Watch Jade too?" Scott asks him hopefully. Derek doesn't answer right away and Scott feels bad for asking, but he doesn't have another choice, he's certainly not asking Peter. "Listen, I know I keep asking favours of you but this is different. I wouldn't ask if it wasn't important, I just..someone _needs_ to be here with her." Derek sees the pleading in Scott's eyes, his need for someone to be here to watch over Ash. "I need someone I _trust_ to be here with my sisters." Scott says. Derek's face softens a little as Scott uses the 't' word, that's big to Derek.

"Yeah." Derek nods. "I'll stay." He finds himself agreeing, unable to say no. Scott doesn't even think about it, he embraces the older wolf tightly, relieved. Derek's eyes widen slightly and he has no idea what to do, he doesn't hug very often, the words 'very rarely' come to mind actually. Derek pats Scott's back once before the Scott pulls back, realising that would have been odd for Derek. But he doesn't care, he's grateful and he wants Derek to know that.

"Thank you." Scott says. Derek nods and watches as he leaves with Isaac. Stiles waits for Jessie as the girl has to give him Jade. Stiles doesn't stand to close to the silbings, giving them their space, but he does hover, wanting to make sure Jessie doesn't end up in tears again like last time her and Derek were 'talking' together.

Jessie hands Jade to Derek, avoiding looking him in the eye as she does.

"Have you got her?" Jessie asks, the first spoken communication between the two since their fight.

"Yeah." Derek nods, holding Jade securely, the girl looking up at him. Jessie turns to leave but Derek stops her. "Jessie." He says. She stops, turning to face him. "Be careful." He says.

"Yeah, you too." Jessie says. "Look after them." She says. Derek nods and Jessie turns back around, walking down the hall, Stiles walking with her.

"You're their babysitter now?" Peter asks Derek, the only other person remaining. Derek sighs, glaring over at Peter. "What the hell are you doing, Derek? You're an alpha, not a Dad-"

"If I wasn't holding Jade, and we weren't in public, I'd pluck each claw from each of your fingers. I would just stop talking if I were you." Derek cuts him off but keeps his voice calm, not wanting to startle or upset Jade. With this distance between him and Jessie, Peter is that much harder to tolerate. And after what happened last night, with everything Peter was saying, then finding Ash that way, Peter is in _nobody_ 's good books. But honestly? The former alpha could care less.

"Hmm." Peter muses, with a sarcastic smirk. Derek watches him walk away with no intentions of staying too, but knowing Peter, he'll probably just hang around anyway. Derek exhales, letting himself become completely calm before he walks over to Ash's room, stepping inside.

"Hey." He says. Ash turns back to look at him, seeing Derek with Jade in his arms. She gives him a slight nod, not wanting to talk because her voice still sounds slightly struggled. She was winded, concussed and practically strangled, so of course her voice isn't as smooth as it usually is. And she isn't really in the mood for conversation either, she only really spoke to Scott because she had to convince him to go to school. She's just kind of..numb right now, her mind still processing what happened, her body trying to heal from it all.

Ash pulls herself to sit up but doesn't get too far before her ribs flare up again. She holds her arms up for Jade and Derek glances at her for a moment, unsure, before Ash's eyebrow raises expectantly and he passes the toddler to her big sister. Ash rests Jade's bottom on her stomach where there isn't much pain.

"Ouchy." Jade frowns, touching her hands to the cast on Ash's right arm. "Ouchy here too." Jade says, leaning forward to touch the cut over Ash's cheek.

"Yeah." Ash mumbles, wishing her wounds weren't visible so Jade didn't have to see them. Derek tries to hide it, but a frown slips to his face when he hears how hurt she sounds. The sound of her voice matches the state she's in, and that doesn't sit well with Derek, it makes him feel..uncomfortable. But he quickly masks that all up again.

"Kiss them better." Jade says, smacking her lips loudly as she kisses Ash's cheek. This makes Ash smile, not much but a little, and she ignores the way it pulls at her healing lip.

Derek sits down in a chair alongside Ash's bed so he can watch over the two girls like he told Scott he would. Ash hears him move and glances at him, seeing him sit down. He meets her eyes for a quick moment, long enough for Ash to give him an appreciative nod for staying when she knows there's probably a million other things he could be, should be, and probably _wants_ to be doing.

They stay in silence after that. Ash starts brushing her hand through Jade's soft, dark curls as she lays her head on Ash's chest, sleepy from the foreign environment she was forced to _try_ sleep in last night. It wasn't practical, no, but they all needed to be here to support Ash, including Jade.

..

The bell rings as the four teenagers pull up at the school in Stiles' Jeep. They quickly got back to their lofts and showered, jammed breakfast into their mouths, grabbed their bags and left. Scott and Isaac get out right away, not wanting to be late. Scott sees Stiles isn't following but Stiles gives him a nod to go on because Jessie hasn't gotten out either. They both watch the two males disappear into the school.

"So.." Stiles says akwardly.

"So.." Jessie says as well.

"About what happened at your place? Was that.." Stiles says, talking about the kiss.

"I wanted to kiss you, if that's what you're asking me." Jessie confirms.

"Okay." Stiles nods. Jessie turns in her seat to face him.

"Did you wanna kiss me?" She asks him.

"Yeah." He nods. "Yeah, definitely." He assures her, making her cheeks darken a little. "Could I do it again?" He asks.

"Yeah." Jessie nods. Stiles smiles and leans forward. Jessie lets her eyes shut as she leans forward as well. This kiss isn't as hesitant as their first, and it's soft. They both pull back slowly, looking at each other. Then they both come in again, stealing another kiss.

The late bell ringing through the air makes them pull apart though.

"We should really go." Stiles says.

"Yeah." Jessie nods. She pleasantly surprised when Stiles drops a soft kiss to the very tip of her nose before pulling back and getting out of the Jeep with his schoolbag. She follows his lead, getting out with her bag.

"I'll see you during break?" Stiles asks her since they have different homerooms and a different first class.

"Yeah, you bet." Jessie nods, smiling. Stiles smiles back with a new kind of warmth as he turns around and heads towards his own homeroom, feeling content. Jessie can't wipe the stupid smile off her face. It's Stiles, his kiss, just.. _him_. When Jessie first moved back here, she wouldn't have thought her and Stiles could even be friends, now look at them, blossoming into.. _something_ , something beyond just friends. Something that gives Jessie this odd fluttering in her stomach that she's never had before; butterflies.

"Hey." Stiles jumps when Scott crosses his path. He waited up for Stiles, not wanting him to get in trouble alone, 'Bro-Code'. Scott can't help but notice the dorky smile on his best friend's face. "Hey, hold on." Scott says, catching Stiles' arm.

"We're gonna be late." Stiles says.

"We're already late." Scott reminds him, stopping. "We can miss one homeroom." He says. Stiles shrugs then nods in agreement. "So?" Scott says.

"So, what?" Stiles asks.

"Don't 'so, what?', you know what, man. That look on your face, that smile." Scott points out, a smile of his own coming out. "Something happened with Jessie, didn't it?" He asks knowingly.

"How'd you know?" Stiles asks.

"Firstly, you smell like her so you two have been very close." Scott points out. Stiles nods because that makes sense. "Secondly, I've seen the way you two have been looking at each other. So, spill. What happened?" Scott asks.

"Jesus Christ, you're making me feel like a girl, dude." Stiles chuckles.

"Yeah, I know." Scott says but chuckles too because he doesn't care. "What are you two? Boyfriend and girlfriend or something?" Scott asks.

"More like something." Stiles says. " _But_ , she did just kiss me, on my mouth." Stiles smiles proudly. Scott chuckles, clapping Stiles' over the shoulder. He's glad to hear some good news for once, there's not enough good news these days in this town, they need more good, more _happy_.

"I'm happy for you, man." Scott says sincerely.

"Thanks." Stiles smiles.

"McCall, Stilinski, get to class!" Bobby Finstock barks out his classroom door when he notices the two boys talking in the hallway. They both chuckle, going into their homeroom class.

..

..

 **Jessie and Stiles are easing into a relationship :3 Yes, Peter's still a huge dick, but Derek's looking after the girls anyway because he doesn't care what Peter says, neither does Jessie :) Favourite, follow and review!**


	19. Released

**Shout out to:**

 ***Serena Sterling: Hmm..she's scared too, she won't revealing anything for awhile :( You're welcome!**

 ***Tesla424: Yeah, she's a good big sister though, not wanting to put her family through anything else since they've already been through** _ **so**_ **much. But yes, Stessie, finally!**

 **..**

Ash must have fallen asleep again, a light nap, because she stirs awake again. She looks around the room, registering where she is. Ash's eyes soften when she sees Jade's curled up over her stomach and sleeping, holding her hospital gown in her fists close to her face.

And then there's Derek.

Derek, who's fallen asleep as well. He's leant back in the chair with his legs up on the side of Ash's hospital bed, his dark brown Timberland boots crossed over each other. He holds his head up with his fist under his chin. Ash notices how less stressed he looks as he sleeps, how peaceful. She notices how he's not frowning, how his eyebrows aren't furrowed in any way, it's sort of refreshing. Ash just wishes she could see more of that when he's awake too.

 _Wait_.

Why the hell is she thinking about this?

"You-" Ash jolts a little when the alpha, who's actually just woken too, speaks, snapping her out of her thoughts. "-should get some more sleep."

"You scared me." Ash says, her voice quieter than usual, her heart pounding in her chest because she was studying his face and the last thing she expected was for him to actually wake up.

Derek looks up at her, noticing her voice isn't as raspy as before. She's also not as closed off as she was before either, but it's still there, it's there in the way she won't look him in the eye and in the way she touches her arm with her other hand, closing herself and Jade off. It's not particularly directed at him, it's just directed at..everyone, right now.

"Why? What were you doing?" He finally asks her, stretching a little as he takes his boots off her bed and let them fall to the floor again with a thud.

Ash just shakes her head because she's not telling him she was staring at him. But she's saved from that embarassment because her doctor, Doctor Bailey, enters the room.

"It's good to see you up, Miss McCall. How are you feeling?" He asks her with a friendly smile.

Ash tries to return the smile but she's really not in the mood to smile and her lips refuse to cooperate. So, instead, she just shrugs a little, averting her eyes from the man and instead focusing on the soft black curls in her lap that belong to her toddler sister.

Doctor Bailey nods in understanding, knowing from his many years at this hospital, and in this medical field, that the aftermath of traumatic and semi-traumatic situations such as this one will very likely include the victim being shaken up for awhile. He just hopes it doesn't stick around for his patient for too long, but there's no telling that right now, it's all up to Ash when it comes down to it.

"Do you have any bad pains?" Doctor Bailey asks her. Derek doesn't mean too, but his hand, the one that wasn't under his chin as he slept, that is on her forearm squeezes down a little. Because in Ash's unconciousnness he was taking her pain, until he fell asleep too.

Ash glances at the spot Derek just squeezed, and she pieces it together easy enough. He was taking her pain, and he still hasn't let go. Ash's eyes flicker to his, but the second he tries to look her in the eye too, Ash's eyes dart back to the doctor.

Ash's answer is to shake her head.

"Well, we just need to do a quick x-ray to make sure no ribs were broken and if that's fine, you're clear to go home." He tells her.

Ash perks up a little at that, both males in the room notice, because she's _dying_ to get out of here. She wants to eat the pringles in the cupboard and drink milk from the carton, smoke a cigarette, have a beer, have a bath..she can't do any of that here. Well, she was offered an assisted sponge bath but she declined that one with a quick shake of her head.

"Now, family is allowed in the x-ray room with your permission." The doctor tells Ash. Ash looks down at Jade but the girl seems to still be sleeping. But it seems the doctor doesn't just mean Jade. "So your sister and partner are allowed in if-" Ash chokes on her own spit while Derek's eyes just widen, because he was sure the doctor meant just Jade as well.

"We're not together." Ash says, using a whole sentence instead of a shake or nod of her head, or a few quiet words.

"Oh, my apologies." The doctor says. But his eyes wander, stopping where Derek's hand is still on her arm. The second they both realise, they immediantly pull away from each other, both looking away from each other as well. Derek didn't even realise he hadn't taken his hand away after Ash saw it was their moments earlier. "Okay." Bailey says, realising how very wrong he was.

"I'll do it alone." Ash tells him, her voice becoming quieter again. Derek has to repress the urge to frown as he watches the usually loud girl with the 'kick ass and take names' attitude slither back into the gloomy, sullen state she's been in since she woke up in the hospital last night. It's more than clear that this whole attack has taken more than just a physical toll on her, it's affected her mentally too, but that's understandable. The people around her just wish they could do more to help.

 _Derek_ even finds himself wishing there was something more he could do besides taking the nudges of pain that slip past the morphine that she would feel.

"Alright, well, the nurse will be in soon to collect you." He says. "And uh..my apologies, again." He says before leaving.

A very uncomfortable silence fills the room now. And it's not just because Ash isn't really saying much and Derek doesn't say too much anyway. So, it stays quiet.

Until there's a yawn and Jade stirs, blinking and waking up.

"Hmm." Jade hums contently, waking up but not moving, perfectly happy where she is.

"Miss McCall, they're ready for you." A nurse says, coming into the room. Ash nods and tries to get up but Jade's being stubborn as all hell.

"Here, I got her." Derek says. He reaches over and manovers Jade to let Ash go. The young girl makes an ugly face at being moved, but once she realises it's Derek that's holding her, she settles again.

"Miss McCall?" The nurse says when Ash doesn't get up even though Jade's now in Derek's arms.

"Go, Ash, it's okay." Derek says, the girl just looking at her sister.

"You sure?" Ash voices her question this time.

"Yeah." Derek nods. Ash accepts that, pulling herself out of bed, trying to ignore the way it pulls at her side. The drugs have helped alot overnight though, and of course Derek too, with the pain so it's definitely not as bad as it was the day before.

The nurse goes to her side, supporting her by holding her arm. Ash would object and pull away but she knows the woman's only doing it out of kindness so she backs off.

Jade looks up, she watches as Ash leaves the room. She frowns and looks back at Derek's face. Her chin quivers and Derek feels his stomach drop. Holding Jade for 10-20 minutes is one thing, but dealing with a wailing toddler is completely beyond his wheelhouse.

"She'll be back soon." Derek assures her, hoping to soothe the tantrum before it starts.

"Now." Jade says with a tight-lipped frown and flared nostrils, looking like a spitting image of Ash when she gets mad. "I said, now!" Jade says loudly.

"Don't be a brat, Jade." Derek says half-heartedly, flashing his eyes red at her and hoping it'll work like it does with the wolves.

"You're a brat." Jade shoots back with attitude just like her big sister, crossing her arms over her chest. Derek's eyes soften, knowing Jade is going to be just like Ash when she grows up. Troublesome, a goddamn troublesome handful.

"I need you." Derek turns around to face the voice, surprised to see Peter came back. "We need to research."

"I said I'd stay, you know that." Derek says to him.

"I think finding what's killing people is more important than playing Dad and looking after Ash." Peter says.

"We don't know anything, how are we supposed to research?" Derek asks him. Peter looks at Derek with a frustrated look. "I know what you're trying to do, Peter. I said I'd stay, so I'm staying. As for what I'm doing, and especially what Jessie's doing, not your concern anymore. You stay clear of our business, you're here for the pack, that's all now. Do you hear me?" Derek says. Peter sucks his teeth, looking down at his nephew.

"Pushing me out of my own family, a little harsh, don't you think?" He asks.

" _You_ made your bed, Peter." Derek says, pointing up at him. "It's not my fault, and it's not Jessie's fault." Peter scoffs. Derek puts Jade on Ash's bed, brushing her hair as he stands up. He turns to face Peter. "You know, Jessie almost left the other day because of you." He says sourly, remembering how horrible that felt.

"I haven't done anything." Peter defends.

"Yeah, you have. The way you provoke us, me, her, the pack..what you did to Laura." He says bitterly.

"I've told you too many times, that was a-"

"Mistake, yeah, I heard you the first time." Derek finishes for him. He takes a step closer to his Uncle. "And if you ever upset Jessie like that again, it'll be the biggest mistake you've ever made." He threatens.

"Hey.." Ash comes back into the room, pausing in the doorway when she sees how close Derek and Peter are standing to each other, both pissed off, Derek more so.

"C'mon, Derek. You wouldn't wanna fight in front of the ladies, would you?" Peter taunts him, knowing Derek wouldn't start a physical fight in a hospital, or in front of Jade or Ash.

"Remember what I said." Derek says. "Now, go." He says.

"I'll be at your place, doing what you _should_ be doing." Peter says. He looks over at Ash, his eyes lingering for too long. Ash shifts uncomfortably under his gaze, touching her arm and looking down.

" _Go_." Derek warns him, because he can smell that Ash is getting uncomfortable. Peter looks at Ash for a second longer, then at Jade, then at Derek, before leaving.

The alpha backs down once he can no longer smell his Uncle anymore. Derek turns back to Ash but doesn't say anything. Ash doesn't push it, not wanting to anger him further.

"Ash." Jade smiles up at her sister, seeing she's back. Ash sits back down on the bed beside Jade. She kisses her baby sister's head, cringing a little at the tug from her split lip.

Ash looks over at Derek, finding he's already looking at her with a face that could possibly show concern, but Ash doesn't dwell on it. She gives the alpha an appreciative nod for looking after Jade too. He nods back, knowing better than to push her to talk when the girl probably wants to do anything but. All Ash wants to do, what her body wants to do, is crawl into her own bed and rest, heal. She's not in a good mood, certainly not a talkative one. And talking hurts her throat and her bruised side even a little bit too.

"How was the x-ray?" He asks her.

"Fine." Ash says in that small voice that Derek is coming to conclusion that he despises, because it's not Ash's, it's just shock. "I can go." She says, looking up to meet his eyes. Derek swears her turquiose eyes are more gray than anything, poisoned by the soured emotions she feels.

"I'll drive you home." Is all Derek says, bringing his keys out of his pocket. Ash gives him another grateful nod.

"I just gotta change." She says, scowling down at the hospital gown she was forced to wear. That scowl, that looks more like the real Ash. Derek nods, letting her do what she needs to before he gets her out of here, part of him hoping it'll help her out a little bit, or at the very least cheer her up a little.

Ash takes her clothes from the drawer and goes into the bathroom. Ash has some trouble, but she manages to pull her jeans on, buttoning and zipping them up. She puts her arms through her singlet but when she tries to lift her arms up to pull it on, her ribs ache awfully.

"Shit." She sighs, dropping her singlet to the floor and putting her hands to her ribs.

"Hey, you okay?" Derek calls out to her, hearing the girl wheeze more than actually breath.

"Can you help me?" She asks with a sigh, knowing this is going to be awkward for them both. But they both know she wouldn't ask something so bold unless she needed too. And walking out of the hospital with a shirt on is definitely classed as manditory in Ash's book.

Derek exhales through his nose before getting up. He knocks once on the door to alert her he's coming in before he opens the door and goes in. Ash looks at him sheepishly, her hands on her side as she stands in jeans and a bra. This is the first time Derek's got to properly see the angel wings tattooed on her back before, so he takes a second to look at them.

He picks her singlet up off the ground. But he pauses when he smells blood, _her_ blood. He looks down at it, seeing the few drops of blood staining the white fabric. Ash sees he's distracted and looks down at it as well. She frowns, seeing her blood on her shirt, that dropped from last night. He meets the girl's eyes but she's just staring at the fabric in his hands, not moving, barely breathing. It reminds her of last night far _too_ well. Derek watches as she looks away, looking somewhere else as she tries to forget what happened. It's too soon for her to be okay with what happened, she needs some more time to just..be okay.

Derek puts her singlet down, bloodied side facing down so she doesn't have to see it.

"Here." Derek says, shrugging off his leather jacket. He holds it out to her.

"Are you sure?" Ash asks him, because Derek practically _lives_ in that jacket, his scent's all over it. He nods, not wanting her to wear the singlet that has her blood on it, he's pretty sure she doesn't want to be reminded of what happened. And he knows she definitely doesn't want the questions that wearing that bloodied singlet would bring on.

Ash moves her hands from her side and Derek sees the bruising John was talking about. Deep purple, blue and yellow, _painful_. Derek helps her slip her arms into the jacket, Ash keeping her back to him. When it's on, she zips it up so she's covered up. Ash turns back to him.

"Thanks." She says with the best, small, appreciative smile she can give him. Really, her lips just upturn a little bit.

"It's okay." He says, and Ash actually suits the leather, she looks good in it, it's just too big for her is all. "C'mon, let's go home." He says. Ash nods. She takes her singlet into her hands, wanting to take it home to wash it, because it is her favourite piece of clothing after all, considering she's got at least 5 of them. But she looks at it and it holds those memories from last night. "Get rid of it, Ash." Derek advises quietly, seeing her turmoil.

She looks up at him. He nods. She looks back down at the singlet in her hands. She uses her foot to open the bin and throws the singlet inside, discarding it.

They walk out of the small bathroom and back into Ash's hospital room. Ash helps Jade climb down from the high bed and onto the ground again. Jade looks up at Ash, her hand touching the leather she wears. Then she looks at Derek, like she knows it's his jacket and that's where it's come from. Ash holds her hand out to Jade and the young girl takes it. The three of them walk out of the room, Jade's hand in Ash's.

"Just sign here, and your prescription will be ready in the pharmacy." The receptionist tells Ash, sliding a clipboard in front of her. Ash holds the pen in her casted hand and she has a little difficulty but manages to scrawl her messy signature onto the blank space provided. The receptionist hands her the slip of paper with the prescription details, pointing out the pharmacy to her, but Ash already knows having been here a million times before to see her Mom..when she was still alive.

Ash is about to walk away but stops, turning back to the woman.

"Thank you." She says with a grateful nod. The woman behind the desk gives her a soft smile before Ash keeps walking, Jade's hand still clutched in her's and Derek still at her side.

Ash puts the paper on the counter of the pharmacy. A man, many years older than Ash, spins it around to face him, reviewing it. He nods to himself in approval.

"I'll be just a second." He says, before shooting off into the back.

"Ash?" Ash looks down when she hears Jade say her name, Derek looks at her too. "What happened to you?" She asks, looking up at her big sister's face, focusing on every little nick, cut and bruise.

Now, Ash has never ignored her sister. She's nodded or shook her head if she doesn't have the words, sometimes it's a laugh if what Jade said was silly. But, for the life of her, Ash can't summon an answer, not at all, not unless she wants Jade to ask her more questions until the young girl's face is tarnished with a worried frown.

Derek looks between Jade and Ash, and he can tell by the look on Ash's face that she's not going to answer. Instead, Ash just turns back to the counter, waiting for her script. Jade doesn't say anything else and Derek doesn't comment on it.

"Here you go, Miss McCall." The man says, bringing the scripts back and handing them to her.

"Thanks." She says, taking them.

"And I'm truely sorry about your Mom too." He says. Ash feels her stomach do flips. This is why she doesn't really like coming here. She knows it's all genuine and sincere, but it still hurts.

Ash gives him a small, forced smile and nods. She turns and leaves after that, abandoning Jade's hand too so she doesn't see how watery Ash's eyes have gotten.

"Ash." Derek says. She doesn't look at him but she stays with him and Jade still. "Are you ok-"

"Just get me the hell out of here." Ash mutters with a sigh. Derek nods and they head for the exit. And they almost get out too.

"No way, Ash?" The three of them pause when Ash hears a familiar voice say her name too.

"Shit." Ash says under her breath. Derek glances at her, having heard that. Ash turns around anyway, trying to keep her head ducked so she's not bombarded with questions.

"Hey, Ash." Lucy says, James at her side. Huh. Looks like maybe his charm finally worked.

"Hey, sweetie. I missed your visits." James grins at her. Okay, nope. He hasn't gotten in with Lucy yet.

Derek's eyes narrow at the man as he looks at Ash. Then they actually stop in front of them and see Ash's face.

"Oh, my God." Lucy says in disbelief, seeing Ash's face. Ash looks away from them.

"It's nothing, just.." She says, feeling very uncomfortable as both adults stare openly at every wound.

"Who did this to you?" James asks her.

"We have to go, right, Derek?" Ash says, looking at Derek with pleading eyes for him to play along because she really can't handle this right now.

"Yeah." Derek nods, looking over at the other two adults.

"Wait..Derek, as in Hale?" Lucy asks him. The same look of ' _I don't want to talk about it_ ' that's on Ash's face comes to Derek's face now too. When people think of 'Hale', they think of the Hale fire. And Derek certainly doesn't want to talk about that. "I think we went to college together."

"Yeah, maybe." Derek says, because his college years feel like another world to him now. Since the fire..that life he had before it just seems.. _gone_ , along with his family. "Listen, we really have to go and take Jade to the dentist." Derek lies so easily that Ash almost smiles.

"Oh, so, you two are.." James says, looking between Ash and Derek.

" _Are_..?" Derek repeats, daring him to finish that sentence. Lucy nudges James' arm roughly, a clear sign for him to shut the hell up before Derek bites his head off for prying into either of their's business.

"Never mind. Uh..have fun at the uh..the dentist." James falters under the alpha's intense, and intimidating, green gaze.

"It was nice to see you, both of you." Lucy says. She puts her hand on Ash's arm and Ash cringes just a little, enough for Derek to notice she feels uncomfortable with the physical contact after what's happened. "If you need anything, give me a call, you have my number." She says.

"Okay." Ash nods, trying not to be rude by saying nothing because Lucy is a sweet girl. Lucy brings her hand back to her side. She doesn't mention Melissa, but part of the 'call me if you need me' was to do with the deceased nurse anyway.

"See you around." Lucy says with a small wave as she leaves to go to her shift. Ash nods back in goodbye. James is about to follow her but stops.

His eyes graze down Ash before he looks to Derek. He doesn't scoff, too afraid to make the sound out-loud, but he holds disapproval in his eyes as he looks at Derek. He thinks something's going on with Ash and Derek, and with his narcisisst attitude, he thinks that if he couldn't get Ash then Derek certainly couldn't.

"What, are you waiting to be chauffeured?" Derek asks him, offended, but more _annoyed_ , with how this man he doesn't even know is sizing him up.

"James." Lucy says, coming back and grabbing his arm. She pulls the other man away from Derek and Ash, the two starting to bicker. All Derek hears is: "Do you have a death wish, because I'm sure he'd have no problem fulfilling it." From Lucy's mouth as the two round the corner, disappearing from sight.

"Can we please just go?" Ash asks Derek, looking down at the ground. Even thought the small voice is enough to make Derek feel odd, it's the way she asks it of him too, like a polite _request_. Anyone that knows Ash McCall know that she isn't always the 'polite' kind, and she's never been much of a 'requester' either.

Derek doesn't say anything, he just starts walking towards the exit again, holding the door open for both McCalls. They get to his car and Derek gets into the driver's seat while Ash gets into the passenger's. Jade's carseat is obviously not in his car, so Ash just holds Jade in her lap instead.

As they drive, Ash finds herself drifting off, all the moving and people having drained the little bit of energy she had. That, and of course, the warmth Derek's jacket provides. And Ash certainly isn't admitting out-loud how good it smells, like Derek, grease and the woods.

When Derek stops at a red light a few minutes later, he glances to his right at the two McCalls in his passenger seat, because like Ash's one, his Camaro's also a left-hand drive.

Ash is now asleep, her arms wrapped securely, but tiredly limp, around Jade who looks close to falling asleep herself.

The traffic light turns green but it takes Derek a moment longer than usual to actually push down on the accelerator because he takes that extra moment to continue looking at the two girls. But he goes forward, turning towards the loft complex, to both of their homes.

..

..

 **Yes, Ash is a little..hmm after what happened to her, which is expected. Favourite, follow and review!**


	20. Little Messy Wolf

**This is my longest chapter to date for this fic, and probably anything else I've written too :P**

 **Shout out to:**

 ***Serena Sterling: I'm glad you did, because for a little while longer, I'm going to focus alot on Dash (Derek x Ash). And in this time, they will get closer too L) You're welcome and thank you too!**

 ***momentum123: Oh, my god, thank you, I'm really glad to hear that :) Yes, this is a Derek x Ash, they just take longer to get into that deeper relationship compared to Jessie and Stiles. You're welcome!**

 ***Maxine Hale: Thanks :) Not too long now, how they get together is going to be** _ **very**_ **sudden, pulled from the tv show actually. But, in the meantime, they're going to get closer and a change in their dynamics is starting as of this chapter :)**

 **..**

After waking Ash and getting Jade out of the car, Derek finds himself in Ash's bedroom, again.

With her concussion, Ash has to be monitered and woken every couple hours if she falls asleep.

So, with that, Derek decides it's best he stays with her, at least until Scott comes home. He didn't mind doing it, he didn't, he wasn't doing anything today anyway, aside being harked at by Peter. But this silence they've been sitting in since they got back from the hospital is a little.. _strange_ , unsettling.

There's no rambling from her, much like Stiles does, she's not insulting him, _sometimes_ playfully, they're not even talking.

Just silence.

Jade's asleep in her crib, her small body exhausted inside and out from the tough last couple days, so there's not even any background noise, just silence.

Ash sits on her bed with one leg up on it, crossed, while the other dangles down, all while she stays quiet, trailing her finger in a small circle over her cast.

Derek's taken to her desk, sitting on the chair. After awhile, he starts to aimlessly spin fron side to side on the computer chair. And as another half hour of this drags on, ticking by at a snail's pace, he finds himself with a pen in his hand, absent-mindedly sketching roughly.

He doesn't even know what he's doing. But soon, Derek finds there's ears, eyes, and a snout with a set of canines looking up at him from the piece of paper.

Ash gets distracted by the only movement in the room, and her eyes soon watch as his hand moves in small, quick motions, scribbing the fur with the ballpoint pen.

"You draw?" Ash breaks the thick silence that has plagued them for the last hour. It makes Derek pause, his hand stopping too, as he looks up at her to find she's already looking at him. He _really_ thought it was going to be another 3, painful, hours of this thick, suffocating silence until Scott got home from school.

"No." Derek shakes his head, even though Ash has actually been watching him the last 10 minutes, and he can't lie, she just caught him drawing. The way he starting out doodling, then there were some rough lines and before long, he was focused and being more careful with the ballpoint pen in his hand. But the answer 'no' slipped from his mouth before 'yes' could even try.

"Can I see it?" Ash asks him, not even considering the answer he just gave as true because she knows better. Derek's arm inches over the small drawing as if he's embarassed of it, and he has no idea why.

Ash moves up her bed more anyway, so she's closer to him. She looks at him expectantly, but he doesn't move his arm. She raises her eyebrow, the one without stitches. No words are used, but she gets her point across. Her 'my loft, my room, my desk, my paper, my pen, I'm allowed to see it' point. But still, he doesn't move his arm. So, Ash hesitantly puts her hands on his arm, surprised with how warm the werewolf is, and moves his arm out of the way for him, revealing the drawing he was working on.

Ash looks at the small sketch in surprise. She looks up at Derek for a moment, and then back down at the little black pen-scrawled wolf on the scrap piece of paper. She looks up at him again but he doesn't meet her eyes, because maybe he is a little embarassed. He has a few hidden talents of his own that not many people know about. And when I say 'not many people', I mean only _Jessie_ knows about.

"You're really talented." Ash says quietly, looking down at the drawing again.

Derek doesn't scoff, because that'd be rude, but really? Him? _Talented_? Yeah, maybe _talented_ at being a terrible alpha. _Talented_ at screwing things up. _Talented_ at doing every wrong in Peter's eyes. But Ash doesn't give a crap about any of that actually, she's talking about raw talent, an eye for detail, something the alpha has but hasn't ever announced. His older sister, Laura, she was exactly the same. Derek swears she spent more time getting the shading _exactly_ right on a pencil-sketched portrait's nose than she did with anything else. And Laura with a paintbrush..whew. She was the one with the talent.

"I had no idea." Ash says, looking up at him again. Derek doesn't comment on the fact that this is probably the most she's said consecutively since her attack. And all because he drew a little messy wolf? Derek doesn't really understand, but he's just glad she hasn't gone mute. After the fire, Derek did. For close to 3 weeks. It didn't matter anyway, he didn't have anyone left to talk too. Aside Laura and Jessie, but they were in the same boat so, for awhile, it felt like they were alone, even if they all shared a new home.

Derek tries to screw up the piece of paper so he can throw the drawing away, because what else is he going to do with it? Suddenly, Ash's hands are around his, stopping him before he even starts. They're cold, oddly colder than they should be, not warm like the werewolf's. With one hand, she takes the paper from his hands, putting it on the desk again, giving him a firm look that tells him not to do that.

They don't say anything else on the subject. Ash lets his hand go, because for some reason her casted hand was still holding him, and she sits back down on her bed, her back againist the wall. He leaves the pen, re-capped, abandoned on the desk with the drawing, deciding not to push it by trying to get rid of it again.

Derek glances over at her again, for once not appreciating the silence. The same silence he usually tries, and fails, to achieve in his own loft. Between Peter's disappointed jabs, Jessie's rambling (when the two Hales are actually on good terms) and Isaac's questions, he doesn't get as much as he hopes to have. But this, this silence, it's _only_ uncomfortable.

Ash sits on her bed, one leg folded and one stretched out over her red and black comforter. She picks at the tears in the knees of her favourite pair of ripped jeans, figetting with the small pieces of light blue denim fabric.

He exhales in a sigh, because he has no idea how to help her. She hears him but doesn't comment on it. He stands up, walking over to her. Ash looks up, watching his every move as he continues to get closer to her.

"It's okay." He assures her, seeing her become suddenly alot more alert tha she was seconds ago in her dazed, brooding state. "I just need what's in my pocket." He says, looking at his jacket that she's still wearing. Ash relaxes a little bit, putting her hand into his pocket to find the object.

She wraps her fingers around the familiar object, pulling it out. No wonder it's familiar, it's a pack of cigarettes, not Malboros like she's used too but Winstons. She holds them out to him and he takes them, nodding his thanks. The alpha goes over to her large window, climbing out to the fire escape because he doesn't want to smoke inside, especially when Jade's in the room and trying to sleep in her crib.

He slips a cigarette out of the packet and takes it between his lips. That's when he realises he doesn't have his lighter on him either.

But it doesn't matter, because Ash climbs out the window too, her zippo in her hand.

"You okay?" He asks, quickly steadying her when she falters. They're _very_ high up, he can't have her falling or anything. Just as quick as he caught her, Ash pulls away from him. It's not him, just having hands on her feels..odd and uncomfortably familiar to her father grabbing her, _hurting_ her. Derek puts that puzzle together quickly, letting her pull away and not attempting to grasp her again.

Ash sits down beside him, holding her lighter out to him. He looks between her and the lighter before taking it. Ash looks over the top of the town as Derek uses her leather zippo to light his cigarette. He holds it back out to her and she takes it back again, slipping it into the pocket of Derek's jacket as she puts her hands in the pockets to warm them up.

Derek sees her eyeing his cigarette. He holds the pack up to her in offering but she declines with the shake of her head. He holds up his own smoke, thinking maybe she doesn't want to take a whole one from him. She hesitates for a moment before nodding, taking it from him as he passes it to her.

The smoke burns her throat going down, her throat already so dry and her rib injury doesn't help any either. She only has one puff before she gives it back to him, afraid if she has more she won't be able to hold it down and cough all the smoke back up.

When Derek puts it back to his lips, he can taste her on the end of it. It's a little odd, since he isn't really one to share or have female company since the fire, but he ignores it. He ignores the taste of her strawberry chapstick tainting the taste of tobacco. Part of him feels a little creepy, but he can't just turn off his super wolf senses.

"Why are you so quiet?" He asks her without realising the words had gone from his brain and tumbled past his lips until her eyes snap up to his. He plays it off though, exhaling a white cloud as he looks at her for her reaction and answer.

"I don't really feel like talking, I guess." She shrugs, her eyes dropping to her casted arm in her lap, her knees up on the edge of the fire escape.

"Because of the attack or because of this thing with your Dad?" He asks her. Ash swallows and doesn't answer. Because, but only she knows this, they're actually the same thing. She just shrugs again, not really wanting to talk about either of those things. "Did something else happen to you?" He asks her, maybe that's why she's quiet because she's hiding something. "If something else happened, you should tell someone." He says. He can't shake this feeling that she's not telling the entirety of the truth about something. And it frustrates him even more because he doesn't know what she might be lying about or why she would lie. He just knows she's not being completely honest, and he doesn't even know how he knows that, he just does. Let's call it..'Alpha's Intuition', compliments of Tahlia Hale.

But Ash just shakes her head.

"I.." She stops before she even starts her sentence. Derek looks up at her, waiting, hoping, she'll continue. "I don't like going to the hospital." She says, only looking in her lap.

"Ash..we _had_ to take you, you were in bad shape." He says. "Scott though.. _we_ thought-" He corrects himself, because it's the truth. "-you were..dead." He says.

"No, I know I had to go. I mean..I mean, I don't like going to _that_ hospital." She clarifies.

"Why not?" Derek asks.

"Because.." She hesitates again. A soft sigh passes her lips as she picks at her cast to distract herself, and so she doesn't have to look him in the eye as she admits something she doesn't go around opening up to people about. "Because my Mom was the lead nurse there, and everyone knew her and liked her and when they look at me, I just..I'm not her. I could never compare to her." She admits quietly, still only looking at her cast in her lap, not daring look up at him.

It's quiet for a moment as Derek puts it all together. The way she clammed up when the man at the pharmacy gave his condolences for Melissa's death, how every already knew she was 'Miss McCall'..they all knew her mother. And now they all know Ash, as the girl that lost her Mom and got jumped and beaten up.

"And Lucy and James, they..they work at the daycare there, they know me, my sister, my Mom, my brother..they knew all of us. I just really wish we didn't bump into them." Ash says. She doesn't need more people than who already know to know she got attacked. Lucy's got a kind heart, and James does too but it's hidden behind his cockiness, but Ash doesn't need to be cuddled and told ' _everything's going to be okay_ ', because nothing is okay. Losing her Mom, that's not okay. Her Dad coming back and trying to take Jade, that's not okay. What he did to her, that's not okay either.

"That guy, James, the one back at the hospital..who was he?" Derek asks her. Derek did _not_ like the way James eyed Ash up and down like she was a piece of meat. Derek also didn't like the way James looked at him either, like he was yesturday's leftovers and James was that night's supper.

"Noone really." Ash says, because they've only talked once or twice, they can't be considered friends.

"He sure seemed to know you." Derek points out. "Are you seeing him or something?" He asks, having _no_ idea where this spill of business-invading questions are coming from. He has no idea why he even asked that question, he just said it.

But Ash finally looks up at him and dishes him her classic deadpan look. Derek is almost grateful for it, because she looks more like herself than she has since the attack.

"Don't ask stupid questions, Derek." She says in a voice that sounds alot more like her own than the one she's been almost muted with since her attack. "I don't date assholes. Wait, that's not true, my ex was an asshole." She realises. Then she exhales through her nose like a sigh and looks back in her lap again. Yeah, she didn't need to remember her cheating ex either.

"Maybe you should get some sleep too." Derek suggests, seeing there's still bags present under her eyes.

"I don't wanna sleep, I'll.." _Just have nightmares_? _Will toss and turn the whole time_? _My ribs ache so much already, it'll probably just hurt more_? "I'm not tired." She decides to lie. The lie is weak, even in her own ears, she knows Derek will see right through it too. And he does, but he can't force her to do anything so he doesn't bring it up again.

It falls quiet again, and stays quiet, for a long time. Until Derek has to break it again because this is all wrong. Ash never sits this still and she's never this quiet.

"You used to sing, right?" Derek asks her. Ash looks up at him again, frowning with surprise because she didn't know he knew about that. "Down at that dive bar on Backland's?"

"How did you know about that?" She asks him.

"I didn't, not for awhile. But I used to go there, only once or twice. It wasn't until I heard you singing to Jade that I started to realise. I didn't know it when I heard you but I realised eventually. I remembered who the girl was." He says, locking eyes with her. "Who she still is."

Ash scoffs but in an amused sort of way.

"Okay, Dr Phil, I'm pretty sure my therapy session's up." She says, with her lips tugging upwards. Derek feels that same tug in his lips because that was a sarcastic remark, the first sarcastic remark she's made in a few days that actually sounds like _her_.

"You should sing." He says. "Right now." He says, locking eyes with her.

"Oh, want me to dance for you too?" Ash asks, slightly sarcastic.

"Ladies' choice." He shrugs, but he's only teasing. This time, a huff of laughter does leave her mouth.

"Yeah, well, I'm not doing either for you. Sorry, Cujo." She says. And there's that real side of her coming out again.

"Well, what do you wanna do?" He asks her.

"I don't know..just sit here, I guess." She shrugs.

"If I have to sit here for any longer in this awkward silence, I'm gonna lose my mind." He says bluntly but honestly.

"You _can_ leave, you know." Ash says, just as blunt.

"I told Scott I'd stay with you and Jade until he was back." Derek informs her.

"Yeah? Well, when the hell did you start listening to Scott?" She asks him, getting a little defensive now.

"How about you relax?" Derek shoots back, seeing her mood souring even more. "I'm not here to provoke you-"

"No, you're here to babysit." Ash cuts him off, getting mad and she isn't even really sure why. Her emotions are just..unbalanced, all over the place.

"You know what? Think whatever you want to think, Ash." He says, flicking his cigarette away and standing back up. "I'm here to look after you, because it seems like you're not going to do that yourself. You'd rather just sit here feeling sorry for yourself. Well, guess what? That's selfish, you know your family would be lost without you." He says before climbing back into her room through the window, because he's not going to argue with her.

Ash sighs, feeling bad for how she acted now. She didn't mean to be rude or anything, she's just having a really hard time with all of this. She gets to her feet and carefully climbs back into her room as well. She's surprised, but not too surprised, to find the werewolf checking on Jade.

She goes over to him, stopping beside him. Derek glances at her from the corner of his eye. He feels bad too, he shouldn't have taken it that far and said some of those things.

"I shouldn't have said that..I'm sorry." The alpha apologies, even though he's not used to doing so.

"No, It's okay. I needed to hear it." She says. She goes on her tiptoes so she can press a kiss to his cheek, in apoogy for her behaviour and in thanks for staying. Derek looks at her in surprise, his frustrated frown melting away.

"If Jade wakes up, wake me." She says, in indication that she's going to try and get some sleep. Because she is exhausted. And he's right, she needs to look after herself, because her brother and sister would be like headless chickens if she lost herself because of this attack and just disappeared beneath it all.

"Okay." Derek nods. Ash goes over to her bed and crawls under the covers, trying to ignore the sting in her ribs from laying down. She pulls her blankets close and shuts her eyes, trying to relax the best she can so she can go to sleep.

..

A couple hours later, Derek moves over to her bed, sitting down beside her.

"Ash." He says. She doesn't stir, at all. He reaches out, touching her shoulder. "Ash? You gotta wake up." He says, gently shaking her, trying to rouse her.

The girl makes an objective sound, pulling the blankets over her head.

"Doc said you couldn't sleep for more than 2 hours at a time, and you gotta take your meds." He reminds her, realising how stupid he sounds because it's like he's her father or something, telling her what she needs to do. But, he gave Scott his word that he's stay with Ash and Jade and do all of this crap. He doesn't like to go back on his own word, so he tries his hardest not too.

"Piss off." Ash mumbles tiredly, not wanting to do any of those things.

"Ash, _get up_." He says. Ash says something incohenrant, keeping the blanket over her head. He doesn't say it again, he stands up and leaves the room. Ash peeks out of the covers, thinking she's offended him or pissed him off by how he just stood up and walked out.

"Jesus Christ." She sighs, pulling herself out of bed. She cringes as her ribs flare up with pain by the sudden movement. She finds herself feeling far too hot in Derek's jacket and jeans so she unzips the leather and shimmys the jacket off best she can. She unzips her jeans and steps out of them as well, having to kick them off at her ankles beause she can't bend down and pull them off without feeling some pain.

She goes through her drawers trying to find something that won't put any strain on her body, specifically her marred and bruised ribs, and also won't be hot because it feels as though the sun has just dialled up a handful of degrees while she was sleeping

She brings out a piece of clothing that she knows will do both of those jobs, but there's only one problem. She's never even worn it, because of what it is, she's not even sure why she has it. Alas, she steps into it, pulling it up and getting her arms through the armholes, zipping up the back of it with ease since it's nothing extreme.

Derek hears Ash's footsteps as she comes down the stairs. He doesn't turn to face her until she walks right up to him.

"Here." She says, holding his jacket out to him. Derek turns, ready to take it. He pauses, making sure he's actually looking at Ash and not some other girl.

She wears a loose, black dress that comes to mid-thigh. It's sleeves are 3/4 and it has a deeper v-neck. It's casual and comfortable. But on her, it's surprising, she looks.. _girly_. But those things aren't bad, in fact, she looks nice. But Derek's not saying any of that out-loud of course.

He just reaches out and takes the jacket from her hand.

Ash looks around the room, because Jade wasn't in her crib. Ash spots her on the sofa, playing with her lion teddy in one hand and eating carrot sticks from one of her plastic bowls in the other. Ash looks in the kitchen, finding the board and knife washed and drying on the rack. She looks up at Derek.

"Did you do that?" She asks him, gesturing over to Jade's lunch.

"Yeah." He nods. "She kept asking for it, so I figured I could do that much.." He says, trying to play off his favour, like he _always_ does.

"Thank you." Ash says to him sincerely before looking back over at Jade again.

Derek looks at Ash as she watches Jade. Something flashes in the older McCall's eyes, like some sort of realisation or registration, or something.

"I think I.." Ash doesn't finish her sentence. She's talking to Derek but she's still only looking at Jade.

Jade, the toddler who's so vulnerable in their supernatural world. Jade, who Ash would _never_ want anything bad to happen too. Jade, who's going to be in danger if she stays here in Beacon Hills.

"I think I have to go back out." Ash finishes her sentence after a long moment of silence.

"What?" Derek asks her. "No, you can't go anywhere, you shouldn't be driving either. You need rest-"

"Don't tell me what I need." She says, turning back to him with a frown. "All these murders, what happened to me last night, my sister should be with my Aunt and Uncle in Nevada, where she'll be safe. Scott won't agree with it but it needs to be done. I don't care about me or the healing my body has to do, I care about what could happen to her. It's too dangerous for her here right now, she needs to go, at least until the court hearing." Because Ash is still going, she might not be telling anyone what her father did to her, but she _will_ be in that court, with her request for her father's and Danielle's guardianship application to be declined, in 4 days. "I'm going, whether you like it or not. You've got two choices, Derek. You either tackle me or you tag along." She says.

Derek meets her eyes, seeing the challenging glint in them, the glint that tells him she _is_ going and he really does only have those two choices if he wants to keep his promise to Scott and stay with Ash and Jade. Also, that's _definitely_ the most she's said since her attack.

"Pack Jade's things and then we'll go." He says, deciding he will 'tag along', because he certainly isn't tackling her and Scott doesn't need anymore stress, he certainly wouldn't be happy to learn Derek walked away and left his sisters unprotected, if he decided againist both of Ash's options and did that. Which he wouldn't.

"Okay, give me a minute." Ash says. He nods. He goes over to balcony, giving her time to get her crap together.

Ash finds the overnight bag. She goes into the laundry and takes Jade's clean clothes from the dryer, folding them up neatly so she has uncreased clothes to wear and packing them into the bag. She takes a couple of Jade's books off the bookcase too, sliding them into the side of the bag.

"Jade, baby?" Ash says, getting her attention as she goes over to her, putting some of her toys from the sofa and floor into the bag for Jade to amuse herself with like she usually does. "I'm taking you back to Auntie's house, alright? You're gonna stay with Auntie and Uncle for a little while." She tells her as she zips up the bag, having packed enough because Hailey has her own collection of things for Jade as the toddler's been spending weekends with her Aunt and Uncle since she was born.

"Why?" Jade asks her as Ash turns off the television.

"Because bad things are happening, Jade. And I have to take you somewhere safe, okay? So you don't get hurt." Ash tells her.

"Is that what happened to Mommy?" Jade asks. Derek glances back into the loft, looking over at Ash. Derek feels the sting of those words on Ash from where he's standing, he sees it by the look on her face too.

It takes Ash a moment to summon as answer because she really wasn't expecting Jade to ask her that.

"Yeah." Ash nods. It took days for Jade to understand the concept of death, but she's never really seemed to grasp that it happened to her mother. Scott kept trying after Ash couldn't anymore because she'd just get upset herself, but no result. But now, after Jade's been through days and days, weeks, without her mother around, she's starting to understand what happened. "Do you understand what happened to Mommy?" Ash asks her.

"Maybe." Jade says, still a little unsure. "She's in heaven?" Jade asks. Melissa and Hailey have always been a little religious and that's rubbed off on Jade a little.

"Yeah." Ash nods. "But she's happy now, and safe." Ash assures her, her voice breaking. Ash sniffs and wipes her eyes, not wanting to get upset right now. "Okay, c'mon, we need to go." Ash says, getting to her feet. Derek takes that as his cue, walking into the loft. Ash looks over to him and he can see the tears slowly gathering in her eyes.

"You okay?" He asks her. Ash nods, not wanting to answer because that question always seems to make people break down. He knows she's not okay, but he doesn't push her anymore. "I got it." He says, taking the bag. Ash gives him a hint of a smile. "And you left this in my jacket pocket." He says, bringing her red leather zippo out of his pocket.

Ash's eyes light up and she takes it from his hands, looking relieved. Derek knows it isn't just because zippos cost alot of money either.

"Where did it come from?" He asks her.

"My Grandfather." He's a little surprised she answered right away. Ash turns the zippo upside down to show where 'S.M.' is carved into the bottom of it, from her Grandfather's survival knife many years ago. "Samual McCall." Ash explains the intials. "My Mom's Dad. He gave it to me when I was 14, not for smoking, obviously, but I just always loved it, from the moment I saw it. I don't know." She says, keeping her eyes on the zippo, at every thread that holds the red leather againist the cool metal like a case but it doesn't come off.

"Where is he now?" Derek asks. Ash's hand closes around it tightly until her knuckles are white and Derek knows something's wrong, that he's hit a sore spot.

"He's dead." She says solemnly. "A few years ago, cancer. Got my Grandmother too, only a few months before him as well." She says. Her frown deepens as she thinks about it, about what they meant to her, about what they _still_ mean to her. "They uh..they used to help us out alot, with money when they could, with looking after me and Scott when Mom was working and Rafael was on a hiatus or some kind of bender. They were good people." She says. She sighs, feeling like getting back into bed and crying because she feels so bad, inside and out. The past couple days have taken a massive toll on her, mentally and physically. But she's definitely getting better, she was _really_ terrible after it happened, wouldn't talk or eat, just slept because she was running on fumes, completely exhausted, unable to keep her eyes open for a moment longer.

"And you lost them too." Derek says.

"Yeah." Ash nods sadly, becuase she loved her Grandfather and Grandmother, they were amazing people, just like Melissa was. "I just..I feel I'm losing everyone." She mumbles wretchedly.

"I never said this to you, or Scott but..I'm really sorry about your Mom, Ash. Something so brutal..it shouldn't have happened. The pack will fix this, you have my word." Derek says the words he should have said in the very beginning, when it first happened. He should have expressed condolences, it was the right thing to do, somehow he just..overlooked it. And that promise he just made to her..he had too. It has to be true, it _needs_ to be true. Not just for Melissa's sake, but for all the innocent people that have gotten hurt, for the town's sake too.

"Thanks." She says quietly, the tears in her eyes becoming too heavy before she blinks and they slip down her cheeks. A sob leaves her mouth as she breaks. She feels a little embarassed because Derek's standing _right there_ , but she doesn't care. These tears, she's needed to cry. The tears finally slip down her cheeks accompanied by small racks of sobs. She's needed to do this.

Derek waits, letting her do this because he knows she needed to let some of this go as well. Part of him thinks he should embrace her, brush her hair from her face and tell her ' _it's okay_ ', but he can't..he just can't. He wouldn't know how to go about it. So he just lets her get through it on her own. And he doesn't speak until she's quietened down a little bit, able to breath properly without a single hiccup.

"Sorry." She apologies quietly with a sniff.

"C'mon." He says, gently putting his hand on her lower back to show her out. "Let's go, I'll drive." He says. Ash nods, taking Jade's hand. She's glad Derek didn't comment on the fact that she just cried right in front of him.

The three of them leave the loft, going down to the carpark.

"Ash? Are you okay?" Jade asks, looking up at her big sister and seeing she's still weeping, silently.

"Yeah." Ash nods with a small genuine smile as they stop beside Ash's car. "I'm okay, sweetheart." Ash tells her as she wipes her eyes, and this time, it's not a lie. Letting herself break and cry was probably the smartest thing she decided to do. It feels.. _good_ to finally let go of alot of pent up emotions, especially that ones from her Mom's death.

Ash gets Jade into her carseat first. She puts Jade's bag of things on the seat beside her instead of in the boot so Ash can easily get Jade out something if she's hungry. Which is she right now, as she makes grabby hands towards the bag, where she can see a container of carrot sticks.

"Here." Ash says, taking it and removing the lid. She hands them to Jade and Jade happily starts to eat them. Ash smiles at her and shuts her door. Derek pretends he wasn't watching all of that as he stands beside the car, how Ash has taken over the role as mother to her sister without even realising, how natural she is about it. Jade wants something, Ash just seems to know what. When she's like that, she reminds Derek of his own mother and how she was when his younger sister was born.

Ash shuts the door behind her and turns to Derek. She takes her keys from her handbag and looks down at them. Ash looks up at Derek skeptically. Her car is her baby, she doesn't just let anyone drive it. Derek raises his eyebrows at her. But then again, Derek not just _anyone_ , is he? Besides, she let Jessie drive it, she kind of didn't have a choice though.

Ash nods and holds them out to him. She doesn't want to cause an accident by focusing on her pain or her thoughts instead of the road. Derek reaches for them, wrapping his fingers around the keys. But Ash tightens her hold on them, grasping his hand as well. Derek meets her eyes and Ash gives him a firm look.

"I know how to drive, Ash." He says, noticing her hesitation. Ash lets the keys go so Derek can take them into his hand. He opens her door for her, looking at her expectantly. She gets into the car, not used to someone being so chivalrous to her. He shuts her door and goes over to the driver's seat, getting in.

He pulls out onto the road easily, the V8 engine a pleasant sound to his ears.

Ash takes her sunglasses from her bag. She wipes her eyes once more then puts them on as she leans back in her seat. She puts her feet up on the dash so she can relax. They drive in silence for awhile. Ash goes into her handbag again, digging through it and bringing out a cigarette, wanting to relax a little more. But she glances in the mirrors, seeing Jade. Derek watches as she has an internal conflict, until she decides againist it and puts it back in her bag. Derek smiles a little, she's just like a Mom.

..

..

 **Road-trip, sort of :) And that's why she always has that zippo with her and why she loves it so much! Favourite, follow and review!**


	21. Journey

**Shout out to:**

 ***Serena Sterling: Yes :3 I felt like he needed something more than just being the tough alpha, you know? You're welcome and thanks!**

 ***Tesla424: Thanks, I'm glad you do :) Yes, it is pretty slow burn but when they do get together it's very sudden. Hmm..I'm not sure if he's an artist or just a drawer, maybe I'll have to explore that some more in another chapter ;) Mommy Ash!**

 ***TheHungryRainbow: Yes, you may!**

 ***Maxine Hale: Aw, thanks :) Here's the update!**

 ***Tesla424: Hehe, 'take that James' :P She just needs some time :) Dashlee for the win definitely! (This update said it was posted on the 30th Nov but only came through now? Well, here's the response anyway :P)**

 **..**

Ash's Aunt Hailey comes out on her front varanda when she hears the rumble of Ash's V8 outside. Hailey's long-time partner, Jeff, also makes an appearance now that he's back from his overseas business trip.

Derek parks up on the driveway and turns the car off.

"I'll be back in a minute." Ash tells Derek, putting her sunglasses back on her head. He nods. She gets out, getting Jade out and her bag with some trouble. But Ash brushes off the pain because she knows Jade's watching. She takes her little sister's hand and then walks over to her Auntie and Jeff.

"Since when do you wear dresses?" Hailey asks her oldest neice. But Ash doesn't responsd.

Derek watches as Ash just puts the bag down and hugs her Aunt. She hugs her Aunt whole-heartedly, clinging to her like it's the last time she's ever going to see her. After talking about her Grandparents and then realising she literally has noone but her little brother and baby sister, and her Aunt and Uncle up here in Nevada, Ash is.. _reevaluating_ many things.

Ash isn't as sore today, but the pain's still definitely there. But it only takes a second for Hailey to notice Ash's face.

"Oh, my God. Baby?" Hailey says, taking Ash's face into her hands with a furrowed brow and concern-filled eyes. Jeff finally sees her face now too, his stomach dropping. "Ash, what happened-"

"I have been asked that so many times." Ash sighs, pulling away from her Aunt, not wanting to be stared at like that. "I'm fine. I was jumped last night, I've already talked the police and given them what I know, they're filing a report and looking into it." She tells her Auntie, comforting her with a false promise of the police being actively involved.

Derek frowns because Ash told John nothing.

"Seriously, I'm okay." Ash says, really not wanting to talk about it. She never wants to talk about it, she just wants to forget it, get past it. And she didn't come here to talk to them about the bad things, she just wants her sister to be safe and to see her family.

"Jesus, Ash, you need to be careful." Jeff says to her. Ash hugs him next, not saying anything back to what he said. He rubs her back gently and speaks in her ear. "Don't walk around by yourself, or at night. You know there's been strange animal attacks in this town for the last year or so." He says, pulling back. Ash nods.

"I know. But it's fine now, everything's fine." Ash tells the both, _really_ wanting to get off the subject of her attack.

"Pain?" Hailey asks her neice, not seeing Ash's avoidance on the subject.

"A little, I have some pills though." Ash says. "I'll be fine." She stresses, hoping they'll drop it. But this is their niece, they're not just going to 'drop it'. Hailey raises her hand and Ash _almost_ flinches, but, lucky, she doesn't. Her Aunt's index and middle fingers lightly brush over the small, neat stitches that cross over her eyebrow.

"This one might scar." Hailey comments, having seen and heard enough from Melissa to know.

"Scars I can deal with." Ash mutters to herslelf, the comment not escaping Hailey or Jeff's ears though. Hailey sighs and nods, wishing her niece didn't have to go through this. "Really, Auntie, I'm fine." She stresses it, just wanting them to drop the subject and for them to know she will be fine..with some time.

Hailey nods and finally lets it go, seeing Ash is trying to convince her. But that's her sister's daughter, of course Hailey's going to worry. And that's Jeff's neice too, he's going to worry as well.

"I got an email the other day." Hailey says. Ash looks at her to go on, happy she's changed the subject. Hailey crosses her arms over her chest, her face becoming stern. Ash has seen that look before, she's in trouble. "Why didn't anyone tell me Rafael was back?" She asks her neice. Ash sighs, this is another subject she _really_ doesn't want to talk about. "And he's trying to take Jade?" She asks, lowering her voice so Jade doesn't hear.

"I know. I know, I should have told you-" Ash says.

"Yeah, you should of." Hailey lectures.

"Yeah, I should have." Ash agrees. "But..it was a really hard time and I didn't want to put that on either of you." Ash says. Jeff puts his hand to Hailey's shoulder, squeezing gently because he can see Ash was doing it to protect them. Hailey sigh, dropping her 'scowling' stance.

"What about this court case?" Jeff asks her.

"I'm going to appeal, file to have his application declined." Ash tells them. "I'm not letting him take her."

"I thought you might say that." Hailey says. "But you realise that if Rafael doesn't get her, she goes into the system, right?" She asks Ash.

"No, she won't." Ash says, shaking her head. "Because I'm filing for guardianship of her, and probably Scott too." She informs them.

"Oh, sweetie.." Hailey says.

"I know, I know it's a huge responsibility, I know all of that. And I want it." Ash says, defending herself.

"We could take them?" Jeff offers.

"I'm sure you could, I'm sure you could raise them well too." Ash says. "But this is _personal_ , I have to do this. You understand that, right?" Ash asks, looking between them, hoping that wasn't rude because she wasn't trying to be. No, these two don't have kids of their own yet, but they babysit Jade and she loves staying with them. Ash doesn't doubt they'd be great parents, but like she said, she needs to be the one to do this, she wants to be the one to do this.

"No, we understand." Jeff says.

"He's right, sweetheart." Hailey says. She tucks a piece of hair behind Ash's ear. "But if you need us to do anything, don't hesitate to ask, alright?"

"Alright, thank you, both of you." Ash says with a nod.

"I was saying before, I really like this." Hailey says, touching Ash's dress. Ash looks down at her feet. "Well, don't get all shy, you look nice." She says.

"What's the occasion?" Jeff asks her, knowing Ash is more of a singlet and skinny jeans type than a dress type.

Ash looks up at them and is about to tell some lie. But she really can't be bothered, they already know she was attacked, there's no point in lying even more than she already is. Ash sighs. She reaches behind her, unzipping the back of her dress. She takes off one sleeve, keeping herself covered but moving it so they can see her side.

Derek looks away, not because she's taken the top of her dress off, because he's already helped her change before, but because seeing the bruises makes something tug uncomfortably deep in his gut.

Ash regrets doing it straight away because her Aunt and Uncle's eyes widen like dinner plates. Ash quickly hides all the dark brusies and marks again.

"Jesus Christ." Hailey says, covering her mouth with her hands.

"It's nothing, I'm fine." Ash brushes it off.

"That's not nothing, Ash." Jeff says. He looks down at her cast and reaches out for it. Ash does flinch a little bit when his hand grabs it. "Hey, it's okay, I'm not gonna hurt you." Jeff assures her softly.

"I know..sorry." Ash says, looking down in embarassment.

"Don't apologise, sweetheart." He says, looking at her casted hand. "When did this happen?" He asks her. Ash pulls her hand out of his, both Jeff and Hailey frowning at her.

"I..I really don't want to talk about what happened." Ash says, unable to keep talking about it like it isn't screwing her head up enough.

"Okay, it's okay." Jeff nods. "We won't talk about it anymore." He assures her.

"We'll talk about something else." Hailey says. It's only then that Hailey looks over at Ash's car, noticing it's not empty. Jeff follows her trail of sight, seeing the other occupant. Derek shifts a little under their gaze, purposely not meeting their eyes because then he'd have to, awkwardly, introduce himself and say hello. He's not that social, and he's never been good at that sort of thing, maybe in high school but since the fire, no.

"Something like who the buff hottie in your car is." Hailey says, looking over at Derek. Ash flushes red, knowing full well Derek can probably hear everything. And hear that, he does. He smirks a little. Men and their egos, am I right?

"You're twice his age, so stop drooling, it's not going to happen." Ash says, throwing her Aunt a small grin so she knows she's just teasing. Jeff chuckles, knowing his partner's only kidding around to tease Ash and vice versa. Hailey and Jeff looks at Ash, happy to see her smile again.

"Why? Is he someone else's boyfriend?" Jeff asks, joining in playfully. "Like your's for example?" He asks, both adults actually curious as to who he is and what his relationship is to their neice.

"Nope." Ash shakes her head. "He's a friend." This time when she says it, she actually means it. Her and Derek definitely get along alot better than they used too.

Derek knows he probably shouldn't be listening in but it's almost impossible for him not to hear, and if he's being honest, their banter is amusing. Hailey steps a little closer to her neice, lowering her voice again.

"Is he the kind of friend that keeps you nice and toasty at night?" Hailey asks, raising an eyebrow.

"Jesus Christ." Ash gasps quietly. Jeff chuckles at how red Ash has gone. "No." She answers again, scratching the back of her neck awkwardly. "Why does everyone think that?" She asks, referring to what happened at the hospital with the doctor, and she's sure James had similar thoughts too. "He's a friend of mine and Scott's, he's just making sure what happened with me last night doesn't happen again." Ash justifies, looking between her Aunt and Uncle.

"Mmm-hmm." Hailey nods, a little smirk on her face. "That's awful nice of him." Hailey says. "What are you giving him in return?" She teases.

Derek is actually impressed with the older woman's ability to make Ash so flustered and blush, it's something he's never actually seen on Ash before.

"Please stop." Ash says. Hailey chuckles along with Jeff, she was only teasing. They simmer down though, not wanting to torture their beloved neice too much.

"Well, if all it takes to make you smile is to talk about him then you should keep him around." Hailey says genuinely. Ash shifts awkwardly, not able to summon anything to say back to that. "I'd invite him in but you look like you might be in a hurry." She says.

"Yeah, a little bit." Ash nods. "I should go, I'm sorry. Things are crazy back home." She says, knowing she should get home before Scott gets home and panics, but he'll probably get back before her anywa since school's almost out already and they have an hour drive back.

"We know, we heard about the other murders." Jeff says quietly so Jade can't hear.

"Yeah, it's uh..it's brutal." Ash nods, that stupid emotional lump building in her throat.

"Do you think it has anything to do with your Mom?" Hailey asks. She doesn't know much, Ash would know more being the one that actually lives in Beacon Hills.

"I..I-I don't know yet, the police aren't really talking." Ash falters, stuttering, not really wanting to talk about that either. Hailey nods. "Okay, come here, Jade." Ash says, crotching down.

Jade rushes into her arms and Ash hugs her tightly. Ash ignores the pain crotching and having Jade squeezing her gives her ribs. She'd rather rough out the pain then not hug her sister goodbye.

"I love you." Ash says, kissing her hair and holding her close.

"Love you." Jade says. Ash smiles a little and let's Jade go.

Hailey has to subtly help the girl to stand again as she can see her neice is in pain. Ash hugs her Aunt and rubs her back, seeing the mention of her deceased sister is still tender for her as well, and Rafael's appearence can't feel good for her either. As far as Hailey's concerned, Rafael McCall is a deadbeat who abandoned her sister and their kids, she has no love for that man, not anymore.

"Love you as well." Ash says. Hailey smiles and kisses Ash's cheek, avoiding her wounds.

"I love you too, sweetie." She says as they pull back.

"Come here." Jeff says. Ash hugs him too. "Make sure whoever did that is dealt with, alright?" He says. Ash nods and they pull back. "And I'm really sorry I couldn't make it to Melissa's funeral. I was in another country on business, I had no idea." He apologies sincerely.

"It's okay." Ash says. "It was just so..sudden. But we understand, Mom would too" She says. Ash clears her throat, feeling that emotional lump getting bigger, making it harder to speak. "I'll be in touch." Ash says. Hailey nods. Ash waves at Jade and Jade waves back.

"Bye De'ick." Jade says. Ash stops, her face soften as she looks between Jade and Derek. After the spider incident and Derek comforting her after the situation with the station, Jade's taken a liking to Derek, him being her spider-catching hero and all.

Ash tries not to smile when Derek gives Jade a small awkward wave back, making the young girl smile widely. Hailey raises her eyebrows at her oldest neice, seeing how much her younger neice has taken to Derek. Jeff just smirks at her. Ash glares at them both playfully before getting back into the car.

Derek drives away from the house, a comfortable silence between them. Ash's mother's gold heart locket around her neck feels a little heavier now. Ash holds the locket in one hand, absent-mindedly fiddling with it as Derek drives along the dirt country roads at a cruise.

A twang of worry nibbles in the pit of Ash's stomach. She knows Jade's fine with her Aunt and Uncle, she knows Jade's safe and being treated lovingly. But, with everything going on, she still worries, especially with this custody threat hanging over her head, with the promise of a deeper level of hurt compared to the beating she received from her father as well.

"You worrying?" Derek asks. Ash looks up from the necklace, looking to her left at Derek, considering the car is left-hand drive. Derek glances at her, locking eyes for a moment, and then back to the road.

"Yeah, a little." Ash admits.

"She'll be fine." Derek assures her. Even though Derek really has no clue if that's true, he's just going with what Ash knows, the fact that he's still trying to provide some comfort makes Ash feel a little better.

"Yeah." Ash nods. "Yeah, she will be." She agrees. "So.." She says awkwardly.

" _So_..?" Derek repeats.

"How much of that did you hear?" Ash asks him with a slight cringe.

"None of it." He lies, for her sake.

"Derek." She deadpans, knowing that's definitely a lie. He glances at her.

"Enough to know that I should probably stay clear of your Aunt." He says half-heartedly. Ash can't help the small chuckle that leaves her lips. Derek looks at her again, seeing a small smile dancing on her lips.

 _Well, if all it takes to make you smile is to talk about him then you should keep him around_

Hailey's words echo in his mind but he doesn't say anything about it. He looks away from her looking back at the dirt road, trying to ignore how much better he feels when she laughs or smiles. Scott wasn't the only one getting dragged down by how depressive Ash was after her attack, the whole pack felt it, _Derek_ felt it.

As the silence stretched on, at least it's not uncomfortable silence anymore, Ash reaches over and turns the radio on, wanting to fill the silence and distract herself before she gets to lost in her darker thoughts.

She flicks aimlessly through stations, some just static, some just the radio hosts talking and making lame jokes, some have music but it's mostly pop and Ash thinks she'd rather sit in silence than be stuck listening to some Justin Bieber, Demi Lovato bull crap.

Derek notices straight away when she finds a song she likes, because her fingers flex and hesitate, not changing the station again. He glances at her and there's more life in her eyes than earlier too. She leans back in her seat, putting her feet up on the dash. From the corner of his eye, he sees her foot start to tap along to the beat of the song. But Ash realises she's doing it and Derek's watching so she quickly stops her foot.

"Sing." Derek says. He glances at her and she's looking at him in half-surprise and half-shock. "I know you know this song." He says.

Ash doesn't say anything, she just looks back out the windshield again, the song starting to play.

 _In the night, I hear them talk, the coldest story ever told. Somewhere far along this road, he lost his soul to a woman so heartless. How could you be so heartless? Oh, how could you be so heartless?_

Derek finds himself thinking about parts of his own past, about how he relates to this song, his hands tightening around the steering wheel a little when he thinks of _her_.

 _How could you be so cold as the winter wind when it breeze, yo? Just remember that you talkin' to me, though. You need to watch the way you talkin' to me, yo. I mean, after all the things that we been through. I mean, after all the things we got into. Ayo, I know there are some things that you ain't told me. Ayo, I did some things but that's the old me. And now you wanna get me back, and you gonna show. So, you walk around like you don't know me. You got a new friend? Well, I got homies. But in the end, it's still so lonely._

Derek has decided he hates this song, like it's throwing his past back in his face. Kate, his family, the trouble he got into.. In fact, he's about to change it, but something, another sound, makes him stop.

He hears that little inhale of breath she takes and knows she's going to sing. She's a singer, just like her Mom, she can't help it. So, he leaves it playing.

" _In the night, I hear them talk, coldest story ever told_." She sings, looking out her window. " _Somewhere far along this road, he lost his soul to a woman so heartless. How could you be so heartless? Oh, how could you be so heartless?_ " She belts out the higher vocals like they're nothing.

But, as quick as she started, she stops. She figets before leaning forward again and turning the radio off. The song brings back her own memories of her own past.

Suddenly, the car's too hot and too small and she has to get out of it.

"Stop." Ash says. Derek looks at her, confused as to why they need to stop on the side of a dirt road, confused as to what just happened too. "Derek, stop the car." She says. He does as she says and Ash gets out. She puts her glasses back over her eyes as they tear up. She hates having to say goodbye to her little sister, but she knows it's what's best, it's to keep her safe. And everything her, her Aunt and Uncle talked about, they aren't easy subjects, and honestly, Ash is still shaken up from last night. Plus, she didn't need the need the reminder of her shitty past either.

Ash takes her earlier discarded cigarette with her. She manages to get herself up onto the boot of her car, her feet not touching the ground, just dangling. Seeing Ash is having a little 'time out', Derek gets out too. His wolf doesn't favour being constantly couped up either. But he knows that's not the reason Ash wanted to stop.

Ash uses her Grandfather's zippo that Derek returned to light her smoke. She takes a long drag from it, blowing it away from them both. She coughs a little, the act of smoking flaring some pain in her side, but she roughs it out.

Derek doesn't ask, he just waits for her to speak when she's ready and her heart's not jumping like a rabbit in her chest, pounding in his ears as there's no other noise around them but distant cicadas and the flap of a bird's wings as it takes off from a branch, brushling againist the leaves in it's path.

Ash smokes for awhile, looking off into the distance, trying to distract herself with tobacco and the forest life.

"What happened last night?" The words tumble from her mouth without her permission. Derek looks up at her and she looks at him. "While you were out there?" She clarifies, deciding to go with it and question further.

"We didn't find anything." He tells her honestly. "No trails, no scent, nothing. I'm sorry."

"It's not your fault." She says, looking into her lap, picking at her cast for she has something to do with her hands. She sighs heavily. "What the hell's going on in this town, Derek? This thing kills three people, innocent people, for no reason? No real motive, no witnesses or evidence left behind? How the hell are we supposed to even _find_ this thing if it can have two completely different scents?" She asks him.

"I don't know." Derek says honeslty. He wishes he could give her the answers she so desperately wants, but he can't. And he hates that he can't do anything to stop all of this. He's the alpha, this is his responsibility. This town was his family's to protect, that falls to him now because of that and because he's Beacon Hills' alpha werewolf. That status means something to other packs, it shows them this town is claimed, and protected, by the Hale pack. "But we will. Whoever did that to your mother _will_ pay for it." He assures her. She turns back to him and gives him a small sad smile, blinking back the tears in her eyes that her sunglasses are hiding.

"I'm sorry about last night, taking you all away from that. I just..I needed Scott, I needed help." Ash apologies.

"Don't be sorry, it's not your fault." He says her own words back to her. "You did the right thing by calling Scott." He assures her. Ash nods. "But whoever did that to you will pay too." He says. Ash glances at him and then looks away quickly. Derek's eyes narrow, wondering what that was. "What?" He asks. "What was that?" He asks her.

"Nothing." Ash says quickly. That was unbelivable, even if Derek wasn't a wolf.

"That's all alot of lies you're telling, Ash." He says.

"What? I'm not lying about anything." She says with a scoff.

"You're lying to someone, your stories weren't the same-"

"I told my Aunt those things so she wouldn't worry." Ash says.

"No, you didn't." He says, seeing right through her. "Way I see it, you're either lying to one of us, or you're lying to all of us. Either way, it's still lying. You don't lie to your pack, Ash." He says. His mother was the one that would enforce that. Secrets or lies can create problems, misunderstandings. Problems and misunderstandings can get out of hand, get somebody hurt, get somebody _killed_. And they certainly don't need anymore death. So, Tahlia Hale had a 'no lying' policy, even though 99% of the time her skillful alpha ears would hear their heart skip from a mile away.

Ash lets out a single huff of flat laughter, realising she's slipped up somewhere. Or maybe it's because Derek is alot smarter than he shows. She was stupid to think anyone would just let this go anyway, especially after all the violence and death they've already seen. The pack care about her more than she thinks.

"This is my pack, and you're part of that. Betas protect their alpha, but alphas have to protect their pack too." He says to her. Ash nods.

"I know that." She says. "But I can't give you anything, I'm sorry." She says to him. Derek moves closer to her. Ash watches him closely, wondering what he's doing. He stands in front of her and reaches out. She moves back a little, confusion scrawled across her features. He ignores it, and just lifts her sunglasses over her eyes and back to her head so he can look her in the eye properly. He's not dumb, he knows she's a _very_ good liar, she has been since she was 15 years old.

"Why not?" He asks her, looking in her eyes, hoping to read something from her this way. He frowns a little when he sees the slight trace of tears in them but he doesn't blame her, after the crazy week her family's had, then what happened to her last night, situations like that break people. But not her, she's stronger than that, at least she's trying to be.

"Because this isn't about the pack." She says, looking away from him.

"What?"

"It's got nothing to do with the pack so it's got nothing to do with you." She says. "Back off." She warns.

"What does that even mean?" Derek asks her. Ash doesn't answer, she just moves him out of her way and slides back down to her feet carefully.

"You know something, don't you?" Derek asks, catching her arm when she tries to walk away from him.

"Get off me." She says, pulling her arm out of his grasp immediantly like his touch burnt her. After having the living _hell_ beaten out of her, she doesn't want to be grabbed by anyone. Derek realises this and doesn't grab her again when she tries to walk away, he just steps into her path, blocking her. Ash scowls at him. "Get out of my way." She says. But Derek's just as stubborn as she is.

"Who are you protecting?" He asks, confused as to why she won't tell him what she knows.

"The more you push this, the more you're going to piss me off and put you and I at odd ends." Ash warns him. "I can look after myself. I'm going to deal with this. _Please_..just leave it alone." She says. It's the pleading in her voice that makes Derek nod. Derek knows she knows something, but she's not giving it up. "Come on, we should go." She says, putting her sunglasses back over her eyes and completely brushing off the heated moment they just had, because she doesn't want to think about it. Derek decides he will leave it alone.. _for now_.

Derek opens Ash's door for her and holds out a hand. She raises an eyebrow but takes his hand. He helps her into the car, seeing she's had trouble doing it all day.

"Thanks." She says, pleasantly surprised by his sweet, chivalrous actions, once again, especially after what she just said. Derek goes to the driver's side, getting in. Ash gets comfortable again, being careful of her ribs as Derek keeps driving.

"You okay?" Derek asks her.

"Yeah." Ash nods, putting her feet up on the dash again, so she can lean back a little more.

Derek can admit, Ash's Camaro has more _raw_ power than his Camaro. Considering her's in a much older model, it's normal. For a second, Derek thinks about owning an older model of Camaro but then he knows he couldn't ever sell his own baby, his beloved Camaro. And besides, what would Ash oogle every time she goes to the loft garages if Derek got rid of his car? Nothing, exactly.

..

Derek and Ash walk back up the stairs to their loft level. They stop when they're about to part ways. Ash turns to him. He looks at her as well.

"Thanks." Ash says. "You know, for choosing to tag along instead of tackling me." She says. She hesitates a little but steps forward. She puts her hands on his chin and kisses his cheek, above his stubble, softly. She turns and walks away, not waiting for a reaction.

"It's okay." Derek says, watching her walk away with a little surprise, just like when she kissed his cheek earlier. He turns back towards his own loft, going inside.

"There you are." Scott sighs in relief, seeing Ash. "I was about to come looking, the hospital said they discharged you and- Wait..where's Jade?" He asks.

"I got cleared and came home. I took Jade back to Auntie's, at least until the court hearing." Ash tells him. "I know, I should have told you, but it was a snap decision, she's much safer in Nevada with everything going on here." She says.

"You're talking again." Scott says in relief. Ash looks away from him, feeling awkward, so Scott quickly moves past that discovery. "Yeah, you're right." He nods. "I wish I could have said goodbye though."

"I'm sorry, Scott, I didn't even think about that." She sighs, looking back at him.

"No, it's okay. I'll see her in a few days." Scott says. "You didn't go alone, did you?" He asks her.

"No, of course not." Ash says. "I had the guard dog you've decided to assign to me." Ash says, raising her eyebrows. Scott can't help but smile softly, _so_ glad to see she's slowly becoming her usual self again, all the sass included.

"I just want you to be safe." Scott defends. "And he can keep you safe. Nothing's getting through Derek."

"Yeah, I don't doubt that." Ash says.

"You should get back in bed, rest some more." Scott says. Ash sighs at the idea. "I'm make you something to eat and bring it up to you?" He offers.

"Fine." She agrees. "Thanks."

..

..

 **Aw :3 Favourite, follow and review!**


	22. Good To Bad

**Okay, scrap that,** _ **this**_ **is definitely my longest chapter to date!**

 **Shout out to:**

 ***Serena Sterling: No, she can't keep it forver, but she can for awhile! Thanks and you're welcome!**

 ***TheHungryRainbow: Hehe :P Thanks!**

 ***Maxine Hale: He does seem too, doesn't he ;) I don't think they can either, but..not giving anything away!**

 ***Tesla424: It is sometimes! Mine too, even though I wrote it, just imagining her little but huge toothy grin, ah :) He might be, he's unsure, but so is she too!**

 **Here's another Derek x Ash centric chapter because I like to write them :) But, don't sweat it, I'll be going back into story mode after this :) But, of course, their will be some feels, family and friendly ones, next chapter!**

 **..**

 _The next day_

Ash wakes up, feeling better, the next morning. She pulls herself out of bed and checks the time on her phone. Her weekly reminder, to pay her rent, sits on her phone screen, staring back up at her. Ash goes over to where her handbag's on the dresser. She goes into it and looks in her wallet.

"5 bucks. 45 cents." She sighs, holding the only cash she has in her hand. She throws it back into her wallet and picks her bag up. She grabs her keys out and looks at herself in the mirror. She cringes a little at her reflection, her wounds burning a hole into her. She runs her hands through her hair to tame it before she quickly ties it up in a ponytail. She goes into the bathroom and splashes her face with water, drying it on the towel. She gargles some mouthwash too before looking in the mirror again.

"It's better than before." She shrugs at her reflection before she leaves the bedroom, taking the stairs slowly, one at a time.

"Hey, good morning." Scott greets her. "You're up early." He says, putting his History and Chemistry textbooks into his bag.

"Yeah, I gotta go down to the bank, take out some cash for rent." Ash tells Scott.

"Why doesn't Derek just give you his bank details? Let you wire it through?" He asks.

"Scott, the guy has a _vault_. He doesn't have a bank account." Ash says. "Anyway, do you want a ride to school?" She asks him. "I'm leaving in a minute too."

"Sure, thanks. You mind if Isaac comes? We usually walk together." He says. "And I think Jessie too."

"Course they can come." Ash says, covering her mouth when she yawns. She grabs one of Scott's protein bars from the cupboard, stripping it and throwing the wrapper away. Isaac knocks on the door and Scott lets him in, Jessie walking in with him.

"Ash is gonna drive us today." He tells the others. Isaac nods.

"Cool." Jessie smiles.

"Oh, I think Derek was looking for you." Isaac says, looking over at Ash.

"Yeah, for rent. I'll find him." She says, stuffing the bar into her mouth, quickly eating it as the four of them leave the loft. Ash waits until Scott and Isaac are ahead before she catches Jessie's arm.

"Everything okay?" Jessie asks her.

"Yeah." Ash nods. "I just wanted to check in with you, you know? Are you and Derek okay?" Ash asks the younger girl.

"He told you what happened?" Jessie asks.

"No." Ash shakes her head, not wanting to throw Derek under the bus and make things worse between the two siblings. "But I have noticed how little you two have been talking."

"Well..we had a fight." Jessie tells Ash. "Got pretty hurtful, we don't talk anymore."

"Jess, you know that's stupid, right? He's your brother, you can't push him out. And he can't do that to you either." Ash says.

"I don't know what I'm supposed to do." Jessie says. "I'm staying there again, but every time I see Peter, I just.." She sighs.

"I know." Ash nods. "I get the same feeling when I see my Dad." She admits.

"And you'd forgive your Dad?" Jessie asks her.

"No, _never_." Ash says, looking down at her boots. "But I wouldn't let that break up what Scott and I are. Brother and sister. _Family_." Ash says. Jessie nods.

"You guys coming?" Scott asks, walking back over to them.

"Yeah." Ash nods, her and Jessie starting to walk again.

"You seem alot better." Jessie comments. "Just..since you got..hurt-" Jessie chooses her words wisely. She knows Ash has been reluctant to talk about what happened to her. "-you've been really quiet, it's just not like you. It's nice to see you're doing better."

"Yeah, pain's okay now, my wounds are healing over, I'll be all healed in no time." Ash says.

"No, I mean, _you_." Jessie says. "You're talking more now, there's more life in you, you just seem more like..you." She says.

"I'm finally starting to feel like myself again." Ash nods.

"That's good." Jessie says with a smile. "Because we missed you." She says, making Ash smile a little. "Thanks, Ash." Jessie says as they reach Ash's '69 Camaro. Ash nods, wanting Jessie to be able to come to her because she likes Jessie, and it'd be nice to have a girl friend for once.

..

"Go home, get in bed, rest, heal." Scott says to Ash, standing outside her window.

"Yes, Dad." Ash says sarcastically.

"Speaking of him.." Scott says. Ash sighs. "Have you heard from him since he brought you the court details?" He asks her. Ash clams up, tapping her fingers on the steering wheel.

"No, not a word." She says evenly. "You should go, you don't want to be late." Ash says, trying to hurry him away so he doesn't keep asking questions about Rafael. Scott nods.

"Remember, rest and heal." He says as he walks backwards towards the school with Isaac. Ash nods. Scott turns back around and him and Isaac walk into the school. Ash is about to pull out but stops when she realises Jessie's not following them.

No, she's walking over to the blue Jeep that just pulled up. Ash watches as Stiles gets out and him and Jessie hug. And then to Ash's surprise, kiss too, a quick greeting peck. Stiles spots Ash and Ash raises an eyebrow. Stiles's cheeks redden and he smiles nervously. Ash just turns on the ignition and slowly drives over to them.

"Don't worry, you're little secret's safe with me." Ash says before pulling out of the carpack. Because she knows something is definitely going on between the two of them, something they're keeping to themselves. Jessie smiles awkwardly as well and Ash just smirks, driving back onto the road that leads further into town.

"Don't worry, Ash keeps to her word." Stiles tells Jessie, seeing her eyes watching after Ash's car.

"I trust her." Jessie says. She turns back to Stiles with a smile. She looks to her left and right, making sure noone can see them, before she leans in and kisses him again, softly. Stiles kisses her back, bringing his hands to her face to hold her close. They pull back, just looking at each other with soft smiles.

"Come on, let's catch up before Scott and Isaac come looking." Stiles says, draping his arm over her shoulders.

They do manage to find the two wolves. Isaac sees them and thinks nothing of it, he thinks it's friendly. But Scott, Scott _knows_ it's not just that.

The bell rings loudly above them. Scott and Stiles share the same homeroom and Isaac and Jessie are in seperate ones. They part ways, Isaac walking with Jessie until the corner where they split off for their own classes, and Scott and Stiles walk together.

..

After coming home from the school and bank, Ash noticed her car wasn't running right. Sounded like it was running on 6 cylinders, not 8. She pulls into the garage, sliding into one of the workshops. She pops the hood and gets out. She slips under it, tinkering with things with good knowledge of what she's doing. She doesn't mind the grease and oil that starts to cover her hands either, she's used to it. Doing this, concerntrating and working, it helps takes her mind off all the bad shit that's been happening too.

Derek also went out that morning. He pulls back into the loft carpark. He gets out of his car, locking it. He pauses when he smells something quite familiar.

Malboro cigarettes and lavender.

He's only ever encountered one person who's smelt that way.

Ash.

His eyes roam the building as he closes in on the smell, looking for the girl that he knows is supposed to be resting. The scent of grease, oil and petrol hits his nose too but it's familiar and warmly comforting.

He doesn't actually see her, per say. He sees jeaned legs, her body hidden under the hood, her ass in the air as she bends right over, going on her tiptoes to reach further up the back. He sees the dirty with grease and oil rag tucked into one of her back pockets.

He leans againist the wall, crossing his arms over his chest. He sees where the Malboro smell came from. He can see the smoke wafting up from the cigarette he guesses she has in her mouth. The radio on the workbench plays, and Ash sings along with it.

" _I stumble through the wreckage, rusted from the rain_." Ash is unaware she has company as she checks the water and oil too, while she's under here.

Derek smirks a little, deciding to let her finish before he reveals himself since in the car she only sang under her breath and only for a short moment. He likes her voice, she's completely herself when she sings, especially when she thinks she's alone. Which she thinks she is right now, and she obviously isn't.

" _There's nothing left to salvage, noone left to blame. Amoung the broken mirrors, I don't look the same. I'm rusted from the rain, I'm rusted from the rain_." Ash can't help but look in her reflection on the engine, looking at the wounds on her face that are healing. She touches the cut on her cheek gently before quickly looking away, not realising she just put grease on her cheek.

" _Dissect me 'til my blood runs down into the drain. My bitter heart is pumping oil into my veins. I'm nothing but a tinman, don't feel any pain. I don't feel any pain, I don't feel any pain, I'm rusted from the rain. Go on, crush me like a flower, rusted from the rain. Come on, strip me of my powers, beat me with your chains. And if I'm the King of cowards, you're the Queen of pain. I'm rusted from the rain, I'm rusted from the rain_." Ash sings along, feeling relaxed as the beat of the song soothes her inside and out. That's why she loves music and singing, it just makes her feel like all the bad things that have happened to her disappear for a little while.

Derek can hear the heel of her combat boot, or maybe it's her fingernails, tapping along to the song's instrumental solo, keeping rhythm even though she's completely focused on her car right now.

" _You hung me like a picture, now I'm just a frame. I used to be your lap dog, now I'm just a stray. Shackled in a graveyard, left here to decay. Left here to decay, left here to decay. I'm_ -" Ash believes she's all set so she slams down the hood again. She cuts off her own singing as she jumps, her casted-hand coming to her chest when she spots Derek standing there.

"Jesus Christ!" She says, her heart racing under her hand. "You scared the crap out of me." She says to him.

"I can see that." He says. Ash looks away from him, a little embarassed because he would have heard her singing. She scratches her neck awkwardly. "I told you you should sing more." He comments. She shrugs sheepishly, not really having a reply to that. "What's going on?" Derek asks, nodding to her car, deciding to change the subject.

"Well.." She says, getting back into the driver's seat. She turns it over, perking up as she revvs, hearing every cylinder again now. "Nothing now." She says to him, turning the ignition off again. She opens the door but doesn't get out, just sets her feet outside, keeping her butt on the seat. She takes the rag out of her back pocket and starts wiping her hands down.

"Oh, right. Rent." She remembers. She drops the rag to her lap and grabs her wallet out of her bag that's sitting in the passenger's seat. She takes out the money she got out, doing a quick recount to make sure it's all there. She hands it out to him. He takes it and doesn't count it, having alot more trust in her in the last week or two. Ash sighs, seeing she's got a smudge of grease on her cast. She tries to scrub it off, but like grease always does, it stays there.

"I'm sure part of your recovery isn't fixing cars." Derek comments. Ash smiles a little, looking back up at him.

"Well, considering I used to work at the garage, I think I've picked up a thing or too." She says. "Plus, helps keep my mind off of everything, you know?" She says. Derek nods because he spent hours fixing up the Camaro after Laura died, once it became his. Ash glances over at his car, her eyes lingering for a moment.

"Have you always been into Chevys?" Derek asks, noticing her attention's drawn over to his own Camaro. She drags her eyes away, looking back to him.

"Yeah." She nods. "I don't know what it is exactly, they just..stand out from other muscle cars." She says. Derek nods in agreement. "How'd you get your's?" She asks him, finding it alot easier to hold a conversation with the man than it used to be a couple months ago.

"It was my sister's." He says. "Laura."

"Well..she had good taste." Ash says, regetting poking at that still healing wound for the wolf.

"Yeah." He says. Ash sees his face fall a little as he starts to think about his deceased sister. And Ash understands that feeling, going from high to low just from thinking about it. So she brings out her pack of smokes, offering him one again. He smiles a little, taking one. Like the last times, Ash brings out her zippo and lights it for him. They're quiet for a few moments as they smoke. Ash still sits half in the car, while Derek leans againist the wall. "Jessie thinks she's getting it once she has a full license." Derek says, amused at the idea. Ash chuckles.

"Sounds like her." Ash says. "I'm lucky, Scott's into dirtbikes lately so he has that to drive." She says.

"He rides it to school?" Derek asks.

"Sometimes." Ash says. "He's been walking with Isaac and Jessie lately."

"Yeah, they did this morning." He says, blowing a cloud of smoke to the side.

"I had to go out, I took them all this morning." Ash tells him, blowing out her own cloud. She butts out her cigarette on the ground and continues trying to get the grease off her hands. Derek thinks about that for a moment, that word, 'all'.

"Did you take Stiles too?" Derek asks her.

"No, he drove himself." Ash says. Derek nods. Ash pauses, looking over at the man when he doesn't elaborate. "What's the problem with Stiles?" She asks.

"Nothing, if he keeps his distance." Derek says, looking up to meet her eyes.

"What?" Ash asks, acting like she doesn't know exactly what he's talking about.

"From Jessie." He clarifies. "Next thing you know, he'll be offering to drive her, just the two of them."

"What's wrong with that?" Ash asks. Derek gives her a pointed look.

"You know what guys are like, a car all to themselves.." He says, letting the thought hang in the air. "They get you alone, just the two of you.."

"No, I don't get it. I've never had sex in a car if that's what you mean." Ash says, shaking her head. Then Derek looks like he's swallowed a bug. Because he didn't mean _that_ , he just meant back seat, a little time to spare, hungry lips. He did _not_ mean sex.

"I meant hooking up, Ash, Jesus Christ." He sighs.

"Oh.." She says, awkwardly scratching the back of her neck.

"Jessie's not gonna be having.. She's.. Her and Stiles..no." He says, unable to finish his sentences but he still gets his point across.

Ash doesn't have anything to say back to that because, _duh_ , Jessie is 18 years old. She'll be having sex soon enough, if she hasn't already. As for her and Stiles..it's bound to happen, but Ash isn't going to torture the guy by saying any of that out-loud.

"You need to cut Stiles some slack." Ash says, looking back to her hands, trying to scrub as much grease off of them as she can. She has seen those little warning looks Derek will shoot Stiles if they sit too close together, if their friendly actions step too close to the line where it's more than that. And Ash saw them kiss, she knows they're more than friends, she wants to try get the good word in for Stiles while she still can. "So what, him and Jessie are friends? Scott and Jessie are friends. Hell, I'm her friend. I thought you'd be happy she was fitting in with everyone so well." Ash defends.

"No, it's not the same with Stiles." Derek shakes his head.

"What do you mean?" She asks him, glancing up again to see he's frowning before looking down at her hands again.

"I've seen the way he looks at her. I just..I don't like it." Derek says. No matter how careful they are about whatever's budding between them, they can't hide it forever, especially not from werewolves. And if Ash managed to catch them, it won't take long for a werewolf too.

"He's a boy, she's a girl, what do you expect?" Ash asks him. "They're bound to peek, you know that." She says. Hell, she's caught herself looking at Derek more than once, it's human nature.

"What are you saying? That they have been?" He asks.

"Not that I know of." Ash says, not throwing either of them under the bus when she said she would keep their secret to herself. "You need to get over it." She says. Derek looks at her, surprised, but not _too_ surprised, by her bluntness. "Stiles is a good guy, he's got alot of heart. He would never hurt your sister." Ash says to Derek. Derek doesn't respond to that. "What is it with brothers being over-protective of their sisters?" She asks, having had similiar problems with Scott.

"Because we know how the male mind works." Derek says.

"Yeah, and we know how the female mind works." Ash says without missing a beat. "And you know what? It's not all rainbows and puppies up there, we can think some pretty unpure things too, it's not just a guy thing." She tells him.

"Stop talking." Derek sighs, not wanting to think about anything Jessie or Stiles might think about that's unpure. Ash chuckles a little, oh the joys of being a big brother. "At least my worries are only just starting, I bet you had to worry about Scott and Allison." He says, turning it on her.

"Yeah." Ash nods. "To be honest, there were a couple of moments where I was waiting for the 'she's pregnant' phone call." Ash admits. "Now you get that with Jessie." Ash smirks, putting it back to him.

"My sister's not getting pregnant." Derek says like he has any sort of control over that.

"We'll see." Ash teases, only kidding around. She does _not_ endorse Jessie getting knocked up, no way. But she's never really seen Derek get uncomfortable like this before. It's sort of amusing to Ash, just like it was amusing for Derek to see Ash get all flustered.

"Well, what about you?" Derek asks her.

"Me? Pregnant?" Ash questions.

"No, I just mean..you, in general." He says. Ash nods. She looks down at the oily rag in her hands as she speaks, not wanting to meet his eyes.

"I was only ever in 1 serious relationship." She says. "I uh..I tried going to college for awhile. I only got to stay for 6 months before Dad split and I had to come home and help look after my pregnant Mom and Scott." She says, still not looking up. "Which was probably a good thing because a few days before that..I caught my boyfriend with my roommate." She says with a frown. It doesn't hurt anymore, but it did at the time. "One more day there and I probably would have killed them both." She says with a small smile, remembering how mad she was, remembering hitting the both of them, more than once.

"Oh.." Derek doesn't know what to say to that, he didn't expect that. She called her ex an asshole the other day but he didn't think it was because of this. He thought he was the only one around here with a screwed up past and love life. Ash feels like that sometimes too thought, like noone can understand how you feel because they haven't experienced it themselves. Derek and Ash have more in common than they think. But in reality, _everyone_ has their own demons.

"Yeah." She says, still looking down. "But screw him, he a selfish prick anyway." She brushes it off, standing back up.

"If he cheated then yeah, he is." Derek agrees, because cheating is a _huge_ deal breaker for him personally. The way he sees it, if you're not happy then leave, don't betray the person, that's wrong.

"Yeah." Ash nods. She finally looks up at him, not wanting to see pity. But thankfully, she doesn't. Because Derek already knows how it feels to be betrayed by someone that's supposed to love you. She looks back down at the stubborn grease mark on her cast.

"Ash." Derek says.

"Hmm?" She says, still scrubbing at the the mark with her rag.

"Look at me." He says. Ash stops looking back up at him. He looks amused and Ash doesn't understand why. He senses her confusion and goes over to her. "Here?" He says, holding his hand out for the rag. She looks at him, even more confused, but hands over the rag anyway. Derek takes it and crotches down in front of her.

"What are you doing?" She asks him.

"Just hold still." He says, bringing it up slowly, as not to startle her. Ash keeps still but her eyes watch his hand as it gets closer and closer to her face. He gently wipes at the grease mark she accidently put on her own cheek. He's careful, his eyes looking at her's every now and then to make sure she's okay with the physical contact. But Ash is fine, not even a single cringe or flinch.

She watches him, not his hand. She scrutinizes his striking emerald eyes, seeking out each fleck of brown and pale yellow mixed into them.

"What?" He asks, knowing she's staring at him but he keeps his eyes on his work, being careful of the wound under the grease. He knows if he locks eyes with her while they're this close, he'll be analysing her icy blue turquiose eyes too.

"Sorry." She apologies, looking past him now, realising how uncouth it would have been for her to be sitting there just staring at him. "You just..you have beautiful eyes, Derek." She mumbles. They both pause. Ash wasn't _really_ supposed to say that out-loud. But she doesn't back down from the statement either, because it's true.

While the expressions he shows, or doesn't show, and his body language states the obvious, that he's haunted by his gloomy and mournful past, wearing scars on the inside. And haunted by the 'ghost' of his Uncle, now back from the dead where Derek put him, and his deprecating words, comdemning the new alpha as a failure, as a wolf that won't ever reach the former alpha's standards. But his eyes, his eyes have stayed the same, through all the good and bad, mostly bad. Bright. Vibrant. _Beautiful_.

Derek glances at her, at her arctic eyes, and then back to her face. His hand starts moving again, getting the last traces or grease from her now barely swollened cheek. He wants to tell her that she does too, but he decides againist voicing that truth out-loud.

"There." He says, pulling the rag back. But his other hand stays on her cheek. He inspects the cut to her face closely, studying how far along the healing has come.

"How bad is it?" Ash asks him, realising what he's doing.

"Should be fine in about a week." He tells her. "Have you still got pain?" He asks, letting her face go.

"A little..it's nothing though." She tries to brush it off, not wanting him to trip over himself for her like Scott has been.

"How much is a little, Ash?" He asks. She sighs.

"My ribs hurt every time I move, it's bearable though, I've gotten used to it." She admits. "Sometimes I forget about my face though..scares the crap out of me when I look in the mirror sometimes." She says with a frown, looking down into her lap.

"The wounds will heal." He assures her.

"Yeah, well the scars won't." She says, looking back up at him. She knows the wound to her cheek might scar, and she knows where she's gotten the stitches in her eyebrow will definitely scar.

"You're gonna be okay, Ash. On the inside too, this feeling will pass." He says, knowing by the alone time they've spent together that she been struggling with all of this, she still is, just less so.

"I know I'll be okay." She says. "Just..just not today." She says, knowing that's true as well.

"No, not today, it takes time." He agrees, knowing from his own experiences.

"When you said those things to me..about you still counting the days, how do you do it?" She asks him, genuinely curious because she's struggled for the weeks that have followed and those have been bad enough, Derek and Jessie on the other hand are counting _years_.

Derek looks down, unsure whether he's going to answer her or not. Ash bites the inside of her cheek, realising maybe she shouldn't have brought that up. Derek moves from a crotch to sit down on the ground properly. He looks at his hands for a few long, silent moments before looking up at her again.

"Most of it was Laura." He says. Ash looks back up when she hear his voice. "She was like you, she held us together. She made us look after ourselves, she took care of us when we couldn't do it ourselves." He says.

"She sounds like a good big sister." Ash says, her voice quieter than usual but not because of her mute phase, because even Derek's voice has quietened.

He's almost impassive as he speaks about the things that hit close to home for him. Ash thinks maybe it's because he doesn't want her to see how much it all still hurts him. Ash wishes she could always be that strong but, obviously, after Ash broke down in front of him, she can't do that. But there's nothing wrong with that either, everyone handles their crap differently.

"When Laura died, I.." He speaks up for a second time and Ash is pleasantly surprised he trusts her enough to open up this way to her considering she's trusted him enough to do the same. She watches as a downcast frown comes to his face, breaking that stony expression of his. "I wasn't there for Jessie like I should have been."

"You came back here for her, Derek. Jessie understands that." Ash says.

"Alot of good that did." Derek sighs. "Peter's walking around again and Jessie hates me for it-"

"She doesn't hate you." Ash stops him. "She doesn't even hate Peter, she just..she's so young, Derek, and she feels so much pain and hurt, that's all that is." She tells him, maybe talking about herself too. Derek doesn't say anything, unsure if he can believe that. Ash leans forward, putting her hand on his knee, squeezing it gently. "She could never hate you, Derek, she loves you. I bet she even loves Peter."

Derek looks up at Ash, meeting her eyes this time.

"Do you still love your Dad? Even after all the trouble and the conflict he's caused your family?" Derek asks her. Ash falters and her hand slips from his knee.

"Me and Jessie aren't in the same situation, trust me." Ash says. "I..he's done things I can't _ever_ forgive. He hurt my family, too many times to count. No matter what he does or what he says, I will _never_ be able to see past that." She tells him. "Every time I look at him, I just..I feel like I could completely lose my shit, throw my already precarious temper out the window. I can't even explain it..it's just.."

"Rage?" Derek supplies. Ash nods. "You sound like Jessie." He says. He then sighs, rubbing his hand down his face. Ash frowns, seeing for the first time how much this split between him and his sister is affecting him. "How do I help her, Ash? How do I help you?" He asks. She's surprised to hear him asking her for advice, for _help_.

"You're a good, loyal man, Derek." Ash says sincerely. Derek meets her eyes again, surprised to hear her say that. "A good man who alot of bad things have happened too, and I'm sorry for that."

"What are you talking about, Ash?" He asks her, confused from where this is all coming from.

"I'm talking about what matters. Your family. I can't tell you how to heal this thing between you and Jessie but I can tell you that she misses you, alot. Fix it, Derek. Whatever it takes, just..fix it." Ash tells him.

"I will." Derek nods, not that he knows how either. But he will. "What about you? When are you gonna fix it?" He asks her.

"Fix myself?" She asks and he nods. "I have _no_ idea. I don't even know where to start. I don't know when that bleeding stops." She says.

"It will stop, just gotta give it some time." He says. She nods. "Can I ask you something?" Derek says. Ash looks at him properly, wondering why he's requesting this specifically.

"Well, while we're pouring our hearts out, you may as well." She says with a upturn of her lips. Derek huffs a laugh as well,

"What made you change your mind about me?" He asks her curiously. "You _hated_ me, for a long time. What changed your mind?" He asks her.

Ash exhales through her nose, meeting the alpha's eyes.

"I don't think I hated you. I wanted too, but I couldn't. You hurt Scott, Derek. More than once. And I know he can heal, and I know some of it was training or some alpha to beta crap, but he's my baby brother. The night he came home covered with his own blood was one of the worst night's of my life. He..he came limping through the front door, his shirt was ripped and he couldn't breath properly because he had deep claw marks across his stomach." She says, not once looking away from him.

Part of Derek wants to look away, because he's the one that did that to Scott, but he isn't a coward. He knows he has to face the consequences of his actions, whether it's a physical fight or this oddly calm discussion with Scott's older sister.

"I will admit, it took me a _long_ time to get over that. But I did, and it's in the past. Then when Boyd and Erica left-" Derek frowns a little at the mention of his two runaway betas, his betas that noone has heard from since they took off. That still stings for Derek, having his betas, his _pack_ leave him behind like that, but he understands why it happened. "-I blamed you for it, for everything bad that happened. I worried about them alot, they're werewolves but they're also teenagers. I don't know how many nights I stayed up searching through databases to find something, _anything_ about where they might be. But now that I think about it, you probably spent nights actually going out and looking for them. I'm right, aren't I?" She asks him.

Derek nods, just like Ash knew he would.

"At the time, I didn't care about that, I just needed someone to point the finger at and blame. You were always in the middle of it so it made sense for it to be you. I thought maybe you didn't care about them, or Scott, or any of us. But I was wrong, you showed me I was wrong." She says. "When my Mom died, you did alot for me and my family without even realising it. I know Scott asked alot of you, but you never turned him down when you easily could have. You were there when Scott ran off, you were there when I ran off. If I'm being honest, I don't know how far down I would have gone if you hadn't have been there." She says. "The drinking, the..the drugs.." She sighs. "I could have really hurt myself if you weren't there to stop me."

"It wasn't just me, it was the whole pack." He says, not used to this amount of praise, and she's being so genuine about it, he really isn't used to that.

"I know that, but that doesn't mean I'm not grateful for everything you've done for me, Derek, for my family." She says. "Thank you, for all of it." She says.

"You're welcome." He says, actually accepting it this time because she sounds so sincere and she really did just pour her heart out and that's not something so often does, neither does he. "Thank you, for how you've been there for Jessie. I can tell she really likes you." He says because he knows it's the truth.

A soft smile comes to Ash's face.

"She's an incredible girl, I'm glad she's here." Ash says.

"So am I." Derek says.

"I promise you, you and her are going to work this out." Ash says. "Me and Scott have had bad fights before too, it works itself out because when you love someone..that's just the way it works." She says. Derek nods.

"When Jessie first got here, at the loft when we had that pack meeting..you and Scott..?" He questions the last fight they had.

"It was my Dad..him and my Mom had been talking behind our backs. She was arranging for him to meet Jade and I flipped, I said some things to her, things I shouldn't have said. Scott got dragged into the middle of it all..he wasn't supposed too." She explains it.

"Did you settle it, before she.." He doesn't finish his sentence because he doesn't need or want too.

"Yeah." Ash nods with a small smile. "The night before. I made ammends with her and Scott." Ash says. Derek knows she's happy about that but still her eyes start to water.

"I shouldn't have asked." He says as he watches her get upset.

"No..it's not that." She shakes her head. "I rang her the day it happened to warn her that Rafael was going to see her. It was the last time I spoke to her. And you know what she said to me? She promised me that everything was gonna be okay." Ash's voice cracks and she looks down at her feet, trying not to break and cry.

"I'm sorry this happened to your family." Derek says. Ash nods, not speaking because she knows she'll just cry. The alpha scooches a little closer to her and puts his hand over her's on her knee. Ash looks up at him with swimming eyes. She grips his hand, squeezing it in her own. Part of Derek is happy Ash is letting this out, even if it's just talking about it. She's tried to stay strong for so long that she didn't realise the effect it was having on her, breaking her down from the inside out.

They both turn towards the sound when they hear police sirens whizzing past. The two share a look before getting to their feet, jogging towards the sound. They both stop when they reach the sidewalk. Not far down the road is dozens of police cars, the sirens blaring and the lights flashing. There's an ambulance too, the police are trying to get everyone back.

"Stay here." Derek says to Ash. But like hell she's listening, she follows him down the street. Derek sighs at her stubbornness but doesn't bother to try send her back.

Ash's eyes widen when they see what all the commotion is about. There's a man, torn to shreds, blood everywhere. There's men and woman in all kinds of emergency uniforms trying to cover the body and the blood with shrouds, and tap off the section as a crime scene. Ash grabs Derek's arm, when she gets a little dizzy.

"Hey, you okay?" He asks her, putting his arm around her waist because she looks like she might pass out.

"I.." Ash can't even form a sentence.

"Come on." He says, urging her away from the body and the blood because he knows she's thinking of her Mom. "Ash, let's go." He says when she doesn't move. " _Ash_." He says, gently grasping her forearm now so he can guide her away because she's not moving. Ash tears her eyes away and starts walking back to the loft complex with Derek.

He keeps his arm loosely around her as they walk because she's looking pale now. Ash is just wide-eyed with shock, staring down at her feet as they walk.

They get back to her car and it's quiet as Ash locks up her car. She goes back into the workshop, putting back any tools or equipment she used earlier. Derek sees her pause, leaning againist the bench with her hands. She hangs her head, blowing out a shaky breath.

"Ash.." He says, stepping closer to her, knowing she's upset.

"It's not night, or early morning. It's lunchtime." Ash says, not turning to him. Derek is confused as to what she means. "That pattern we thought we had..it's gone." She says and he understands now.

"I know." He says.

"Which means it could kill _anyone_ at _any_ time." She says, looking up at him with watery eyes.

"Yeah." Derek says, wishing he could argue that but he can't.

"I never saw what those things did to people, to my M-Mom." Ash stutters, the tears in her eyes making it hard for her to see properly. "I just..I didn't know it was s-so b-brutal." She says. Ash doesn't know what exactly compells her to do it, but she turns to him, wrapping her arms around his shoulders and hugging him. Derek's surprised but he did catch the tears in her eyes and he understands she need consoling.

This time, Ash can't help but break. She starts to sob, unable to hold back any of it, like opening floodgates. Derek's hand comes up to rub her back as the other comes around her back.

Ash never saw her mother in that state. Melissa's wounds were hidden and Ash never looked at her file. She never realised how bad, how _horrible_ it was, and how painful it would have been for her. It's just thrown Ash off, shaken her up a little bit to think that was her mother not that long ago. That it could be some innocent kid, or a little girl next time. That it could be Scott or Jade, Stiles, Jessie, Isaac, Derek, Peter, _any_ of them, next.

A particularly painful sob shutters throguh the girl and she grips Derek's jacket tightly in her fists. Tightly enough that it may actually crease. But Derek finds he's okay with it in this situation, but he wouldn't be if it was anyone other than her. He doesn't understand it but doesn't question it either.

"I-I miss her s-so g-goddamn much." Ash manages to say shakily, the tone of her voice tells Derek she's still crying fresh tears.

"I know you do. _She_ -" He says, referring to Melissa herself. "-knows you do" Derek says. "You shouldn't have had to see that." He says apologetically. Even though he had no control over it because they didn't know what the fuss was about until it was too late to turn her away from the horrific mess of what used to be a man's body, Derek still feels bad.. _wrong_.

"It-it's not your f-fault." She says, shaking her head. "J-Just tell me we'll s-stop all of this s-somehow." Ash says. "I-I just have t-to know this is g-gonna end at some p-point. I c-can't handle many m-more dead bodies, D-Derek." She stutters her words, trying to talk around her tears and the thick lump forming in her throat.

Derek moves both of his hands to her shoulders so he can pull her back and look her in the eye. Look into the shimmering with salty tears, some which are coating her cheeks, turquiose sea of pain and deep emotional hurting.

"We will, Ash. I promise, I _swear_." He says firmly, the determination clear in his voice. "I'm not gonna let you down." He finds himself saying the words before he can stop himself.

"I trust you." She says, looking him in the eye too so he knows she's not playing around. Not that she ever plays around with trust anyway. "I believe you." She says, resting her hands on his chest.

She knows she might be pushing it, but she needs it right now. She wraps her arms around his torso to hug him again. She's a little hesitant to how he'll react but Derek lets her do it so she hugs him properly.

In fact, he does exactly what he wishes he could have done for when she broke down in front of him the other day. He takes a wild stab in the dark and tries to help comfort her, like he has done so with Jessie before.

It's not that he's clueless, well..it's more that he's not _completely_ clueless, he just isn't that nurturing type of person due to his past and the man he's become during the years that followed the fire that took his and his sister's childhood home and claimed the lives of their beloved family. He's out of practice with this sort of thing, comforting and consoling people. But he has an idea, so he goes for it. He'd rather try and fail than stand in front of her like an emotionless prick while she cries and grieves all by herself, breaking down _right in front of him_ again.

So he gives it his best shot.

He embraces her.

He lets her lean her head againist his chest with a shaky sob as he brushes her hair out of her face.

"It's okay." He tells her. He finds himself doing this next action before he can stop himself as well.

He presses a soft kiss to her hair, feeling her hug him tighter as he does, dwelling comfortably in the safe and secure feeling she gets from being so close to him, from being in his embrace.

In fact, she never realised how safe he actually makes her feel until now. It's like Scott but..different, somehow, she just doesn't know how yet.

Derek rests his chin on her head gently, letting his eyes shut because he knows Ash is going to need a moment or two before she lets him go. But, surprisingly, he doesn't mind. He just keeps her close, and keeps rubbing her back in slow, soothing circles with one hand.

"It's all gonna be okay, Ash."

..

..

 **Poor Ash :( But Derek was there to comfort her :) That was all** _ **alot**_ **of feels I think! It was nice to write though, and didn't feel too OOC for their characters either. Favourite, follow and review!**


	23. Amends

**Shout out to:**

 ***Serena Sterling: Dash is perfect! Look at the name of the chapter and your wish will come true :)**

 ***TheHungryRainbow: I'm glad you like it, there's some awkward fluff, but fluff all the same, coming for them this chapter!**

 ***Tesla424: Thank you :) I love the way you word things, it makes me giggle when I read them :P**

 **..**

Peter looks up from where he's sitting on the spiral staircase. He smells Derek but it's Ash that walks in, Derek coming in behind her.

"What's going on?" Peter asks, getting their attention. Ash just sits down on the sofa, wishing she could unsee the mess of blood, bone and flesh she just witnessed. "Is she okay?" Peter asks Derek as he walks over to his Uncle.

"She will be after a little time." Derek nods. "There's been another murder." He says, keeping his voice down, keeping the conversation between him and Peter.

"What? It's daylight." Peter says, keeping his voice down as well in respect for the girl that doesn't need or want to hear it again.

"I know. Whatever this thing is, it's getting bolder. It teared a man up on the street." Derek tells him.

"Did you see anything?" Peter asks. Derek shakes his head.

"We got there after it happened. I'll have Stiles talk to his father about it." Derek says. Peter looks over at Ash when she stands up, looking pale and ill.

"I don't think your new little friend is okay." Peter says. Derek looks over at her as well, ignoring Peter's title for her, frowning at how all the blood's drained from her face.

But before Derek can question what's wrong, Ash darts into the bathroom and empties her stomach into the toilet.

The two wolves cringe, their wolf hearing picking up the sloppy splattering crystal clearly.

"Get some water." Derek tells Peter. Peter nods and goes into the kitchen. Derek goes over to the bathroom to make sure she's okay. "Ash?" He says, knocking on the partially closed door.

"Yeah." She says, flushing away the chunky mess. Derek pushes the door open, going in. Ash sits on the edge of the bathtub, letting her stomach settle. "You okay?" He asks her. Ash nods.

"Yeah. It's just..after seeing that, I.." She doesn't have to finish. The similarities were too much for her, that and picturing it being her mother, not some stranger. "Sorry." She says sheepishly but sincerely. It's not exactly polite to throw up in someone's toilet.

"It's okay." Derek says. "Peter's the only one that uses this bathroom anyway." He says, almost joking but he is telling the truth. It works because she laughs a little bit.

Derek feels that tug in his chest he got from seeing her so upset earlier melt away as she smiles now, her eyes creasing in the corners.

Peter comes in, handing her a glass of water.

"Thank you." She says, taking it. "And uh..sorry, about your toilet." She says awkwardly.

"Don't worry about it." Peter says. Derek gives Peter a grateful nod because he's being.. _nicer_. No snark, no insults, he's..helping. Derek's actually unsure if he should be thankful or suspicious.

Peter looks over to the door when he hears it open.

"The kids are home." He says, knowing it's pack's teenagers by their loud grouped footsteps.

Ash stands up wobbily and Derek steadies her.

"Ash?" He says.

"I'm okay." She nods. She takes a step and has to grab Derek because she's quite dizzy. "Maybe not so okay." She decides. She just threw up and she's eaten next to nothing all day, it's taken a toll on her, making her woozy.

"C'mon ." Derek says, letting her hold his arm as they walk.

Peter hangs back behind them as they walk towards the living room. He watches as Ash depends on Derek to keep her upright, _trusts_ him to keep her upright. She doesn't flinch with him, she's not even as jumpy as she's been on previous days where a raised hand could make her duck away.

Peter narrows his eyes, realising how easily Derek touches her or lets her touch him. Anyone that knows Derek knows he's not the touchy-feely type. So, it's obvious that, something's different between them.

Ash sits down on the sofa because the room is now spinning, and she _really_ regrets not having anything more than a protein bar for breakfast.

"What happened?" Scott asks as he, Isaac, Stiles and Jessie walk into the Hale loft.

Ash came back here with Derek so that they could tell the rest of the pack what happened earlier. Derek text them, told them all to come over for a pack meeting straight after school. They had a study period last so they rushed home at lunch break instead of staying at school. He frowns when he sees his sister, seeing she looks pale. "Hey, what's wrong?" He asks, going over and sitting down beside her.

"I'm fine, I was just a little sick." She brushes it off.

"Ash, I told you to stay in bed." Scott reminds her.

Ash and Derek glance at each other because she did the exact opposite, and Derek was part of that.

"Ash.." Scott says. "What have you been doing?" He asks her.

"Cleaning." Ash lies. Even Stiles and Jessie cringe because they know that's a lie. Jessie knew the girl wasn't going to just stay in bed all day, that's not something Ash could do unless she really needed or wanted too.

Scott lifts her hand up, seeing and smelling the few bits of grease that's still under her fingernails.

"You worked on your car today, didn't you?" He asks, already knowing the answer.

"I had too." Ash justifies. "Forget that, we have bigger problems." Ash says.

"Like what?" Scott asks.

"There was another murder today, 1-1:30 this afternoon, not that long ago." Derek says, looking between the 4 teenagers. Scott pauses, looking over at the alpha with a frown.

"Who?" Jessie asks him.

"We don't know." Derek says, looking over at Jessie.

For the first time since their fight, Jessie meets his eyes properly. She thought long and hard about what Ash said to her earlier today. And Ash was right, this feud between them isn't even about them, it's about Peter, and it's stupid. Jessie's not losing her brother over it.

"He was definitely a man." Ash says. "But he was.." She makes strange hand gestures, not wanting to describe what she saw, especially with her stomach still settling. But they understand because all the bodies have been the same way, all torn-up.

"Stiles, you should talk to your Dad." Derek says. Stiles nods, his eyes looking at Ash worriedly. "Stiles." He says. Stiles looks over at the older man now. "We _really_ need his info. The time pattern's been broken, we need to find something else." Derek stresses.

"I'll get it." Stiles says. Even if his Dad doesn't give it to him, he'll get it, somehow. His major contribution to the pack is his knowledge, his brains. He doesn't have claws or fangs, he can't really fight, he's _okay_ with a bat, so what he can bring to the table as a smart human, that's what the pack depend on him for. He doesn't mind though, it makes him feel wanted, _needed_. And he is, by all of them.

"From what I was able to hear, police are putting out a strict curfew." Derek says. "Indoors by 9pm."

" _9_?" Stiles questions. "I doubt kids will listen."

"No, they'll be strict about it." Ash says. "Police escorts, neighbourhood watch, the works. Remember after the Kanima started?" She says.

"At least that means we don't have to worry too much about some innocent kid getting killed after the sun goes down." Derek says.

"What about the cops though?" Stiles asks, instantly thinking of his father.

"They're trained, and they're armed. They'll be fine, Stiles." Jessie soothes. She wants to rub his arm or hand but decides againist doing it in front of everyone.

Stiles let her know today that Scott knows about them. She doesn't mind if he knows, as long as it doesn't get back to her brother or Uncle, and to be on the safe side Isaac too, just yet. She knows she can't avoid that, but she doesn't want to stir up anything right now, not with all the crazy already going on.

"She's right, they'll be fine." Scott backs Jessie up.

"As for us, I'll take the pack out again tonight, try to find something again." Derek says.

"Ash, you and Jessie are gonna stay here with Stiles" Scott says and Derek nods in agreement.

"Oh, c'mon. Not again." Ash sighs.

"No, it's too dangerous, you're staying here." Scott shakes his head.

"Some research would be helpful, you know, if you're offering." Peter says, looking at Ash. Ash looks up at him with half a glare.

"Sure, why not?" She says sarcastically. Derek looks between the two before addressing the whole pack.

"Just remember, we don't know what we're dealing with just yet. _Be careful_." Derek stresses the last part, because even if sometimes they annoy him or they don't get along, Derek doesn't want to see any of them hurt, especially not like those innocent people were.

Once the plan is settled, the pack will go out after dark and the human's will stay at Derek's, Ash and Scott go home to their own loft.

"You don't look so good, Ash." Scott comments, walking hom with her.

"I just need to eat and drink something, I'm fine." She assures him.

"Well, I'll do that part, you go lay down on the sofa or something, alright?" Scott says, taking his turn as being 'Mommy'.

"Yeah, okay." Ash nods, actually liking the sounds of that right now.

"Scott." They both stop, looking towards the voice. "Give me a second?" Derek says. Scott nods.

"You okay now?" Scott asks, looking back at Ash.

"Yeah." She nods with a small smile. "I'm sick, not dead." She says sarcastically.

"Ah, it's good to have you back, Ash." Scott says with a smile of his own. Ash meets Derek's eyes for a moment, giving him a small smile, before going into the loft.

She goes upstairs, going into her bathroom. She wets her toothbrush and squeezes a generous helping of spearmint toothpaste onto it before shoving her toothbrush in her mouth and scrubbing away the taste of bile.

When she's done, she rinses her brush and mouth before going into her room and pulling on a hoodie. She walks back downstairs, using the railing the steady herself when needed.

Instead of getting on the sofa, she goes into the kitchen to seek out food right now as opposed to waiting for Scott because she really needs it. She doesn't bother going to the fridge of freezer because she can't be bothered cooking anything. So, she goes straight for the pantry.

She takes a bag of crisps off the shelf and returns to the living room, falling down on the sofa, curling her legs up on it.

She's only eaten a few when the loft door opens again. She expects to see Scott, but she doesn't.

She looks at Derek in confusion, seeing a bundle of wrapped and tied off pink roses in his hand. But Ash knows they're not his, if the confused look on his face wasn't enough, he's _Derek Hale_ , he doesn't do pink roses.

"Uh..what you got there?" Ash asks him.

"Scott had to go back to school for something. The woman at the front desk just brought these up." He says.

"For you?" Ash asks, feeling like she might laugh because who in their right man buys a man _pink_ rose? Actually, who their right mind would buy Derek pink roses, let alone any kind of flower? Ash almost laughs again, thinking of someone giving him a bone instead of flowers and how much more appreciative of that he'd be.

"No." He shakes his head. "For you." He says, looking up at her.

"What?" Ash says, sitting up properly now because _what the hell did he just say_? She waits impatiently for an answer as he walks over to her with them.

"She said some guy dropped them off at the front desk for you." He says, putting them on the coffee table in front of her, looking up at her for some kind of explaination. Even Derek knows Ash loves lavender, it's why she always smells of it.

"What guy?" Ash asks him. She abandons her crisps on the sofa and picks the bundle of roses up, inspecting them and smelling them. She can admit, they're nice, they smell good, they were probably expensive too.

"I don't know."

"Well, unless I have a secret admirer, I have no idea who these are from." Ash says, looking for the card. She plucks it out, flips it over and reads it out-loud. " _I'll see you soon xo_." She reads it, confused as to what the hell that means.

"How romantic." Derek says, rolling his eyes. Ash frowns at his bitterness.

"Okay, Sourwolf, relax." She says. "I don't even know who these are from."

"Well, you'll see soon, won't you?" He says, heading towards the front door again.

"Derek?" She says.

"I have to get back." He says before leaving, the door shutting behind him.

"What the hell was that?" She asks herself.

..

It's the same drill, except Ash doesn't leave the house, not like last time. She's just glad she hasn't seen or caught wind of her father since the incident. And from Scott's questioning, he hasn't heard from Rafael either. But Ash knows that won't last long, she just hopes it does. Jessie sees Derek getting ready to go. She looks over at Ash. Ash nods to her. Jessie sighs and walks away from Stiles to go over to Derek.

"Hey." She says. He turns around to face her.

"Hi." He says.

"Can we talk before you go?" She asks him.

"Yeah." He nods. Jessie walks over to the balcony area, Derek following her. He shuts the doors behind them, giving them privacy, and knowing that if the wolves favour walking out of this loft alive, they won't listen in on their conversation.

They're quiet for a few long seconds. They've _barely_ spoken since that fight. Because their fights don't usually get that messy or hurtful, or that loud either, not for a _long_ time. But this one, Jessie leaving, Derek getting as mad as she did and snapping on her, it was one of the more worse fights they've had. But he's taking Ash's advice, figuring a _girl_ 's advice is useful when it comes to his sister, and giving Jessie her space.

"I know you didn't ask for this." Jessie is the one to break the silence.

"For what?" He asks her, looking back at her still.

"For me to come back, for you to have to look after me too." She says.

"You're not a burden, Jessie. You're my sister, I want you around." Derek admits. "But this push and pull, with Peter, with me, it has to stop." He says. Jessie sighs. Their gazes are still locked. Frustrated crystal-blue orbs meeting aggrivated emerald-green ones. Two large Hale attitudes clashing together in the space between them as they stand on opposite ends of the balcony, instead of side by side. "I'm serious, Jessie. This isn't going to work if you don't trust me. Peter's never going to hurt you, or anyone else, ever again. If he does, I'll kill him myself, and I'll make sure he _never_ comes back." Derek says.

"And Laura?" Jessie asks him. Because that's the whole problem, Jessie doesn't think Peter should be allowed a second chance after he literally tore Laura from her, she barely got the chance to start over after they'd finally spent years getting through the mourning process. But Peter put a horrific stop to that before it even had to chance to start. And Jessie can never, _ever_ forgive him for that, not ever.

"I can't change the past, Jessie." Derek says.

"I know..I know." She sighs.

"Just steer as clear of him as you can. I'll make sure he doesn't cross a line with you, that's all I can do." Derek says. Even if he doesn't want to admit it, Peter's been helpful, his knowledge and experience is useful. If it was another way, if Peter was useless, Derek would cut him off in a heartbeat, hell, he'd give Jessie her unspoken wish, he'd kill Peter again.

"Okay." Jessie nods.

"Okay?"

"Yeah." She agrees. "Listen..I'm sorry about the other night. It was just a weird day." Jessie apologies. "I didn't mean to say those things about you, I know it hurt you just as much as it hurt me."

"I know." Derek nods. "Just don't do that again, alright?" He says.

"Alright." Jessie says with a small smile because she can admit she feels better knowing her and Derek have made some form of amends, especially since he's going out there, into _dangerous_ circumstances. "Be careful tonight." She says.

"I'll be fine." Derek assures her. "Stay put until we're back." He says.

"Yeah, of course." Jessie nods. When neither of them say anything else, Jessie moves to go back inside. Derek puts his hand on her shoulder. She stops, turning back around to face him.

"Don't walk out on me again, Jess..please." He says quietly, because that hurt him alot. Jessie nods, coming forward and hugging him, not caring if it's out of their comfort zones or not.

From inside, Stiles sees them and he smiles softly, happy to see them getting along again. He hated seeing Jessie so broken up about their fight, he likes it when she's happy, when she smiles showing those dimples and white teeth that always steal Stiles' attention, right from the moment he met her.

"You feeling okay now?" Scott asks as he walks over to Ash. Ash looks away from the Hale siblings as well, looking at Scott and nodding.

"Yeah, I just..seeing that, it was horrible." She admits.

"I know." Scott nods, squeezing her arm. "But we're gonna stop all of this, I promise. But sit tight, relax, _please_." He says. "Don't strain yourself, you've still got alot of healing to do and I know you still have some pain. So just take the night off."

"Yeah, okay." Ash nods. "I'll relax, I'll be fine." She assures him.

"Okay, I'll see you in a few hours." Scott says, kissing her head.

When Scott goes over to Stiles, and Jessie and Derek come back inside, Derek meets Ash's eyes. There's this awkward tension between after the way Derek walked out earlier on.

Derek sighs and walks over to her, knowing he can't leave things like this, not when he's getting along with her so much better than they used too.

"Listen, about before-" He starts.

"It's okay." Ash stops him.

"No, not really." Derek says, because it wasn't, it was rude. He doesn't know why he even did it, he was just..annoyed.

"If you have a problem with some guy sending me flowers then-"

"What's that supposed to mean?" Derek asks her, narrowing his eyes.

"Well..never mind." Ash shakes her head. Okay, maybe she read that situation wrong then.

"Tell me. What do you think that was?" He asks her.

Ash just shakes her head, feeling embarassesd now. She thought that maybe he had a problem with it because.. She doesn't know what she thought.

Derek studies her with piercing eyes but Ash just looks around the room, avoiding his eyes.

"C'mon, let's go. The sun's going down." Peter says. Derek looks over at him and nods. He looks back at Ash.

"You don't leave here, for any reason, alright?" Derek says to her.

"Yeah, okay." Ash nods. Derek turns to walk over to Peter but Ash catches him by the sleeve of his leather jacket, making him stop.

"What is it?" He asks her.

"Just.." Her fingers flex around the fabric before she lets him go completely. "Look out for Scott." She says. "And uh..be careful." She adds after a beat.

"Yeah, always." He nods. They look at each other for a few more seconds before Ash goes over to Jessie and Derek goes over to Peter.

The wolves run through a basic plan, where they'll go, where the borders of Beacon Hills are and what happens if they find somthing.

The wolves are about to leave when Derek turns around, walking back up to Stiles. Jessie swallows, scared Derek's found out something. Stiles gulps as the much larger man stops right in front of him, only a hand's width between them. And that doesn't terrify Stiles..no..not at all, heh.

"They don't leave this loft, alright?" Derek says to Stiles. Stiles nods, meeting the man's eyes.

Scott looks between his alpha and his best friend, hoping it doesn't esculate into anything other than this because they really need to go and do this before more people get hurt. And he's not letting Derek hurt Stiles, alpha or not. But he doesn't want things between him and Derek to sour either, Scott and Derek have come a long way, just like Derek and Ash have.

"Look after them." Derek says. "Keep them safe." He says firmly.

Ash looks between them too, having a feeling that isn't just about the situation they're in right now. She knows Derek's not blind, he might not know this thing between Stiles and Jessie has gone as far as it has but he does know _something_ is brewing, or in the works at least.

"I will." Stiles nods with promise. Derek looks at the younger man for a few more seconds before leading the Hale pack's wolves towards the loft door.

The three humans watch as they all go, leaving just Ash, Stiles and Jessie in the loft. Worry settles in Ash's gut, worse than last time, as she sits down on the sofa.

"Hey, they'll be fine." Stiles says, seeing the look on both of the girl's faces from knowing their brothers are out there, possibly in the path of danger. "Come on, sit." Stiles says, leading Jessie to the other sofa.

Ash looks up at them, smiling a little when she sees Stiles sit down with Jessie, pulling a blanket over them. She looks away though, not waiting to peep on their more intimate moment now that noone's around but her.

"Movie?" Stiles asks, looking between the two girls. "Movie." He decides with a nod, grabbing the remote off the table.

Ash grabs her laptop. Since the two teens are occupying one sofa, she lets herself stretch out on the other. Her eyes flicker between the movie the almost-couple watch and her laptop screen as she runs a hack, looking up the name and address Stiles managed to steal from one of his Dad's work folders.

Ash does glance at Jessie and Stiles a couple times too, unable to help herself. Jessie's brow is furrowed as she's worried, Stiles' is a little too, but they sit side by side, Jessie's head on his shoulder, their hands joined under the blanket. Ash smirks to herself, looking back to her own screen.

..

Scott walks up the stairs, splashed with blood and out of breath. When they split up, one came at him. It was so fast, he didn't get a good look. But it was strong, it couldn't kill him as easily as a human obviously, but it was strong, and definitely fast, faster than him.

"Here." Derek says, dropping back to wait for the younger wolf. He puts Scott's arm over his shoulders and helps him walk. Scott's exhausted. The thing, whatever it was, rammed into him, probably broke a few ribs. Scott's still healing but he'll be fine by tomorrow.

"Thanks." Scott says as they walk towards the loft. Isaac gets the door, all of them piling in. It's so quiet in the loft, dark too, aside from the dimmed light from the television.

Ash is curled up, asleep on one of the sofas. Her laptop's on the table, she was just 'resting her eyes' while she waited for the hack to finish processing.

Stiles and Jessie are both fast asleep too. They look innocent enough, just like they fell asleep side by side. The only incriminating evidence is the fact Jessie's still got her head on his shoulder and they're sharing a blanket maybe too small for the both of them. Scott smiles to himself because he knows the truth.

Scott's about to go over to his sister, wake her up and take her home but Isaac's voice stops him.

"Maybe we should just let them sleep." He says. Scott looks to Derek since it's his loft. Derek nods, seeing all three of them have crashed out, having been awake much more than asleep lately with all the crazy that's been going on.

"I'll help you home." Derek says to Scott. Scott nods and glances at his peacefully sleeping sister one more time before walking back out the door with Derek, while Peter gets ready to head back to his own place and Isaac goes up to his room, all of them exhautsed.

Scott and Derek get inside. Scott limps to the staircase, getting ready to go up and shower then get into bed. He stops, looking over at Derek who's had a perturbed frown lacing his features since they walked into the loft. And he knows why.

"Stiles would never hurt Jessie." Scott says. Derek looks up to meet his eyes, that's the same thing Ash said to him. "You know that."

It's quiet for a moment as they just stand there.

"Thanks for helping me." Scott says before starting to walk up the stairs.

"Has she said anything to you?" Derek asks, making Scott stop and turn back to him.

"Jessie?" He asks.

"No, Ash." Derek says. While it's just the two of them, Derek hopes to get some sort of information out of her younger brother.

"About?" Scott asks.

"About her being jumped." He clarifies. Scott shakes his head.

"No. Why?" Scott asks him.

"Nothing." Derek says. He was hoping that maybe that information she was, for some reason, witholding, she would have gone to Scott with and told him. Then, maybe, Scott would let him know so they, as a pack, could deal with it. But obviously, she still hasn't said anything to anyone.

"Do you know something I don't?" Scott asks him, raising an eyebrow.

"Do you?" Derek shoots back, not talking about Ash in this moment, but his own sister.

It's quiet again for a moment as they look each other accussively and expectantly.

"No." Scott says evenly, even though it's a lie.

"Neither." Derek says which isn't actually the truth either but it's not a lie because he doesn't know anything else, he just knows that there's more to know and that's all.

With that, both wolves part ways, Scott going to the shower, Derek going home.

Derek plans to get into bed as soon as he's back but as he's walking to his room, he stops beside the girl curled up on the sofa in only a singlet and shorts.

He takes the throw blanket off of the back of the sofa and gently drapes it over Ash without waking her up. Before he can stop himself, his fingers ever so softly touch the stitches above her eyebrow, wishing he could have done more about the jumping. But he can't, not until she opens up a little and she obviously hasn't.

Ash does stir, which makes him freeze because he doesn't know how he would explain the fact that he's pretty much tucking her in, if she woke up. But she doesn't. She just moves a little, curling into the blanket as she seeks out warmth in her sleep. At least that's what he thinks.

He starts walking back to his room when her voice makes him stop.

"Thanks, Derek." She says in a quiet whisper. He turns to look at her but she's already curled up again, in fact, she didn't even open her eyes, she just knew it was him. He stands there for a second, unsure if he should do or say anything, or justify his actions. But he doesn't, he just heads back towards his room.

"Sleep tight." Ash says even quieter.

Derek pauses again, still not saying anything.

Yes.

Right then, he decides he does have a problem with some guy sending her flowers.

..

..

 **That end bit was cute I hope :3 I hope it all had fluffy undertones :3 Who's 'seeing Ash soon'? Favourite, follow and review!**


	24. Then It Got Worse

**Shout out to:**

 ***Serena Sterling: Hmm..maybe :P Yay! Yes, you're welcome!**

 ***Amelia Mikaelhey: Maybe.. ;) But yes, I hate him too!**

 ***Tesla424: Silly is the best way to be, I think! It is coming into play soon :D**

 **..**

Jessie wakes up first the next morning, having been the first one asleep as well. She moves closer to the warmth around her. Then her eyes snap open and she quickly looks around the room, making sure noone's around. That warmth, is Stiles. His arms have come around her during the night and Jessie's head is on his chest now instead of his shoulder. She knows she should probably put some distance between them but she's too comfortable to care.

Stiles awakens next, becoming pleasantly surprised with the warmth he feels too. He looks down at Jessie and she looks up at him with a soft smile.

"Morning." She says.

"Hmm..morning." Stiles says, smiling back at her sleepily. His eyes quickly flicker around the room to make sure they're the only ones awake before he presses his lips to her's.

Ash stirs awake next, pulling the blanket Derek gave her last night closer as it's a cold morning. She rubs her eyes, opening them.

"Oh..sorry." Ash says, immediantly averting them because Jessie and Stiles were in the middle of something. They quickly pull back, both looking at her with wide eyes.

"Oh, uh..hey, good morning." Stiles says awkwardly to her.

"Hmm, yeah." Ash nods, feeling awkward now too. She sits up properly, putting her feet to the floor. She looks up at the two teenagers to find they're still looking at her. "Something on my face?" She asks, touching her cheek.

"No, just.." Jessie says.

"Oh." Ash realises. "I'm not gonna say anything, don't worry." She assures them both again in a low whisper. Jessie nods gratefully. "But he is catching on." She tells Jessie, looking at Stiles as well. She doesn't have to specify who, they know who. "Want my advice, coming from a sister who lied to her brother about a relationship? Just tell it to him straight." She says before standing up.

In the beginning, Ash kept her relationship with the cheating boyfriend a secret because she knew how he would react, he'd go into 'protective' mode and Ash didn't want to deal with that. And she certainly didn't tell him why her and her ex never rekindled after she came home either. But that's just the way it is, it's their job as a brother. Ash realises that now that she has that same protective feel towards her baby sister, Jade.

Jessie and Stiles share a look but don't say anything. Derek has enough on his plate, chasing after Jessie and Stiles to keep an eye on them is something he doesn't need right now. They both know Ash is right though.

"I might head home, give my Aunt a call and check in with Scott." Ash says, standing up and stretching.

"Scott should be at the school by now, some study thing." Stiles tells her.

"Okay." Ash nods. "Well..ignore your alone time while you can." She says to them both as she folds the blanket up. She drapes it over the arm of the sofa and gives them both a small smile before leaving to go home.

"She seems happier, don't you think?" Jessie asks Stiles.

"Yeah, she does." Stiles nods. "It's good, I was getting scared of what was going to happen with her." He says honestly.

"You know her, no matter what, she'll always have time for her family." Jessie says.

"Yeah." He nods with a smile, leaning in to kiss her again.

..

Ash gets back to her loft, finding it's empty because Scott did shoot to school with his healed ribs after he slipped into the Hale loft to check on Ash and make sure he was okay. He found she was still sleeping peacefully, buried under a blanket.

Ash feels herself slowly drifting off when there's a knock at the front door. She jolts awake, looking over at it.

She pauses.

The knock, it's not anyone from the pack's because they knock then just walk inside.

It's not her father, thank _God_ , because she knows what his sounds like.

So, she doesn't know who's it is.

She gets up and slowly approaches the door.

"Hi.." Ash trails off, completely flattering when she sees who's on the other side of the door.

"Hi." He says. A smile comes to his face. "Wow, you look..beautiful. It's been a long time, babe."

"You've gotta be kidding me." Ash says, her face screwed up as she looks at her ex boyfriend. "The roses, they were from you, weren't they?" She asks. He nods.

"I'm in town for a few days, I didn't know if you'd be home." Jacob tells her.

Ash scowls, wondering how she's going to navigate through this one. Ash never told Scott what happened between her and Jacob, she made out that the only reason she came back was to take care of her family. Well, it was definitely the priority, but it wasn't the _only_ reason why she had to get out of there.

"Can I come in?" Jacob asks her.

"Jacob, that's..that's not a good idea." Ash shakes her head.

"I just wanna talk, Ash, catch up, you know? It's been what, about 2 years now?" He says. Ash blows out a breath and nods, opening the door so he can step inside.

Jacob walks into the loft and looks around unabashedly.

"This is a nice place." He says, walking around the living area.

"What the hell are you doing here, Jacob?" Ash asks him. Jacob turns around to look at her now, finding the girl is looking at him with guarded eyes, her arms crossed over her chest.

"I told you." He says.

"No, why are you _here_?" Ash asks.

"I guess, part of me wanted to makes ammends, you know? For what happened in college-"

"I don't..you don't need to do that." Ash stops him, holding a hand up. "It was a long time ago, I got over it and I moved on." She says.

"To another guy, or.."

"Jacob." Ash says in warning.

"Right, sorry. I've forgotten how private you are." He says with a small smile.

Ash sighs. This is the last thing she expected to happen. She thought that part of her life was, you know, in the _past_.

"Why are you in town?" Ash asks him.

"Can we sit before you bombard me with questions?" Jacob asks her, raising his dark blonde eyebrow. Ash meets his brown eyes with her blue ones.

"Yeah, sure." She decides with a nod. She sits down on one of the sofas, gesturing for him to sit on the other, because their days of curling up close are _long_ over.

"Thank you." Jacob says. He looks up at her again and starts to explain himself. "My Grandmother, the one with the real teeth, the one you meet a couple times, she's been transferred to Beacon Hills Memorial for a few days before the place in Sacramento gets their shit together." He tells her.

Ash nods slowly.

"I'm sorry about your Grandmother, she's a really nice lady." Ash says sincerely, because the woman was nothing but kind to Ash when she met her. It was Jacob's Mom that had the problem with Ash, thought she was some kind of wayward freak, her big personality was not appreciated nor tolerated by Mrs Mason.

"Yeah, and I'm sorry about your Mom too." Jacob says sincerely, because Melissa was nothing but nice to him the couple times they met, one of which was when Ash brought him home over the summer break to have dinner with her family. That was a very _big_ , and bold, move for Ash, but she did it anyway.

And he threw that all away for a one night stand with another girl.

"Yeah." Ash says quietly, looking down into her lap.

"How did it happen?" Jacob asks her. Ash looks up at him again, shaking her head. "Oh..I'm sorry. I just..when I was at the hospital, I asked for her specifically and they told me she recently passed but that's all."

"I can tell you it was _brutal_ , but..but I don't want to talk about that." Ash says, getting flustered.

"Oh, it's okay, babe." He says, getting up because he can see how just talking about it is effecting her. He sits down beside her and puts his hand on her back to comfort her.

It's different though with him, it's not soothing like it is with Scott or Derek. Ash holds her hand up at him.

"Please stop." She says. He nods in understanding, pulling his hand away.

It's no secret to anyone that was living on campus at the University those years ago that Jacob Mason regretted choosing to bed Nicole Bochman over his relationship with Ash McCall.

"Well, if that's all you wanted to talk about then.." Ash says, standing up and looking at him.

"What?" Jacob asks. "No, c'mon, Ash. Just give me, like, half an hour. I've missed you-"

"Yeah, I'm sure you have." She says, looking away from him.

"Listen, I know what I did was pathetic and wrong, but c'mon. We're both older now, can't we sit down and talk like adults?" He says, coaxing her into not kicking him out, because it would be nice to see her and talk to her again while he's still in town.

"Okay, fine." Ash sighs. "Stop begging, you sound like an idiot." She says, sitting back down. Jacob chuckles, yeah, he's missed this girl, especially her big personality.

Jessie and Stiles realise Stiles' phone is ringing when they come out of the kitchen. Stiles grab it before he sits back down with Jessie, his arm slipping around her again effortlessly.

Jessie smiles, cuddling back into him, settling their breakfast down on the coffee table.

Stiles frowns, seeing he's missed several calls from an unknown number, a landline. He answers it, bringing it to his ear.

"Hello?"

"Mr Stilinski?" A woman asks. Stiles' frown deepens.

"Yeah, this is Stiles Stilinski." He says. Jessie looks at him, wondering who it is. Stiles looks confused but then his face falls and his eyes widen. Jessie frowns in worry when he just lets the phone slip from his hand into his lap.

"Stiles? Stiles, what's wrong?" Jessie asks him, sitting up and touching his arm.

"It's my Dad." He says, just looking straight ahead. "He's in the hospital. Animal attack." He says. Jessie's eyes widen.

"Derek!" Jessie yells, jumping to her feet.

"And that's how I somehow managed to not only fail my paper but smash 2 windows as well." Jacob finished his story, sitting down with Ash still, both holding hot coffees in their hands that Ash made for them a couple minutes ago.

Ash laughs, using her hand that's not around her cup of coffee to cover her mouth.

"God, I've missed that laugh." He smiles. Ash gives him another warning look. Jacob raises both of his hands in surrender. "I'm not here to woo you, Ash. I _just_ wanna talk." He assures her.

"You cool it on those comments and sure, we can talk." She says.

"Alright." He nods.

But before they can say anything else, there's two swift knocks on the loft door before it's opened.

"C'mon, Ash. We gotta go, Stiles needs.." Derek trails off, pulling his leather jacket on over his henley.

Ash and Jacob look at him, and he looks at Ash and Jacob.

"Who's he?" Both Derek and Jacob ask at once.

Ash sighs again.

"Derek, Jacob. Jacob, Derek." Ash introduces. Derek steps forward, his wolf nose investigating the unknown male sitting right beside Ash on the sofa, too close for Derek's liking.

"And who's Derek supposed to be?" Jacob asks, meeting the alpha's eyes as he asks the question to Ash.

"And who the hell are _you_ supposed to be?" Derek asks him, not bothering pulling Ash into it when he can handle this himself.

"Okay, dicks away, boys." Ash says, standing up. She doesn't want this turning ugly when nothing's even going on. Both males just keep looking at each other though. Don't get me wrong though, this isn't some fight over who's alone with Ash like some silly rom-com or something, this is just..boys being boys. More so, Derek's wolf not liking having a stranger, a possible _threat_ , in his pack's home and so close to his own home where his _family_ lives.

"Hey, I said enough." She says, looking between them.

Both males looks at her now.

"What's going on, Derek?" She asks, turning to him.

"Stiles needs us. Something happened to his father, he's in the hospital." Derek tells her.

"Oh, my God." Ash says, shocked, her eyes widening. "What happened? Is he gonna be okay?" Ash asks quickly, stepping closer to the wolf.

"I have no idea." Derek says honestly.

"Okay, we have to go there, _now_." Ash says, grabbing her handbag off the table and searching through it for her car keys.

"Wait, you mean the Sheriff?" Jacob asks, looking confused.

"What happpened to him, Derek?" Ash asks, not letting Derek even answer Jacob because John is more important right now.

"Animal attack." Derek says. Ash slows to a pause.

 _It's your mother. She's in the hospital, it's serious_

Ash feels her pulse start to rise, all of this too familiar to what happened to her Mom. And Ash can't keep watching people die and she certainly can _not_ watch John die, she can't lose another person so close to her, someone she loves. She just can't. So, she panics.

"Jesus Christ." Ash sighs anxiously, unable to find her keys so she can race to the hospital.

Both males can see the panic quickly starting to rise in the girl, by the way her eyes water, by the way her hands start to shake, by the way she breathes swallowly.

"Ash." Jacob says, standing up, knowing someone needs to intervene soon before she has a panic attack. Jacob saw her have one once and it was painful to watch, especially when you don't know how to stop it, or help for that matter.

But Ash ignores him, still burrowing through her bag.

Jacob looks to Derek, this time without malice, looking at him for some kind of direction. It's been 2 years since he's seen Ash, let alone been with her romantically, he doesn't know how to help her.

"Ash." Derek says, stepping closer to her. When she doesn't stop, he takes another stab in the dark and tries to do something, anything, to wipe that completely worried look off her face that wasn't there a moment ago. " _Ash_." He says, reaching out and catching her by the wrist gently so she stops.

She looks up at him with swimming, red-brimmed eyes.

"Just stop. I'll take you." Derek tells her. Ash sniffs and nods, abandoning her search for her keys because hell, her eyes are so watery, she couldn't even see where she was looking anyway, she was just hoping to feel the cool silver of her keys and that would be that. Obviously, that was a completely unfoulproof plan.

"No, I gotta go see my Grandmother anyway, I'll drive her." Jacob says, looking at Derek.

"She's coming with me." Derek says in a dangerous calm voice that dares Jacob, _double dog dares_ him, to try to test him or argue.

"It's the same number, Ash. Call me if you need anything." Jacob says, now looking at her, deciding it's best for his safety that he doesn't argue or fight the larger man's decision.

Ash just nods, not wanting to speak in case her voice breaks. She just can't see past what happened to her Mom, how that all played out. And right now, what's happening to John looks very much the same. And that scares the almighty _hell_ out of Ash.

"C'mon." Derek says, taking his own keys from his pocket. Ash starts to follow him out, Jacob following too since it's obvious he has to leave as well.

"It was really nice to see you again, Ash." He says. Ash turns to him, looking at his brown eyes and seeing he's actually being sincere.

"Yeah." She says in a quiet voice, nodding a little.

And with that, they part ways, not knowing if they'll see each other again or speak to each other again. But, right now, Ash is okay with that, her family, her pack, they come first, they always will.

The car ride is quiet, aside Ash's occansional sharp intake as she tries not to break and cry. It's similar to when Derek sat in room for an entire hour in the thickest, most suffocating silence after Ash was attacked.

"From what Jessie told me, John's alive, Ash." Derek tells her, glancing at the girl in the passenger seat.

Ash nods, looking out the window, counting to 10 over and over again in her head, trying to stay calm, _collected_.

Derek glances at her again when she doesn't answer. He focuses his hearing, listening to the way her heart beats.

 _Thump, thump, thump, thump, thump_

Just like a rabbit again, jackhammering againist her chest.

"He's gonna be fine, he's tougher than most." Derek says.

"Yeah." Ash says quietly. Derek looks at her again, glad she actually spoke.

"Back at the loft..who's Jacob?" He asks her.

"My ex." Ash answers, still looking out the window. Derek stops at a red light, turning his head completely to look at her with a frown. He knows who she's talking about, she told him about her ex, the one that cheated on her.

A thousand questions run through his mind, like why he was at her loft, why she's talking to him again, why he's in Beacon Hills, was it him that sent the flowers, but Derek keeps them all at bay, just sitting on the tip of his tongue. Now's not the time for that though.

..

Ash and Derek are pointed to the same waiting room that Stiles and Jessie were pointed too only 10 minutes before them.

Ash sees Stiles first, the boy looking the same as she looks, on the verge of tears.

"Stiles?" Ash says, going over to him and kneeling down in front of him. She takes his hands into her's, Jessie sitting at his side, rubbing his back.

"They uh..they said an a-animal attacked him while he was d-doing his w-watch." Stiles says shakily, looking down at Ash with teary eyes. She looks up at him sadly. "After, he managed to s-shoot it and it t-took off." Stiles says, looking down into his lap with a broken frown. "It teared into hh-is s-stomach, that's what they're t-trying to f-fix now." Stiles sighs. It only takes a few seconds after that for his tears to start falling. Jessie pulls him close to her, brushing her hand down his hair gently.

"Shhh, he's gonna be okay." Jessie comforts him. She's always been good like that, she gets it from her mother, and Laura.

Ash gets to her feet and turns away from them all.

The door opens again and Scott and Isaac come racing in. Scott goes straight over to Stiles.

"I'm so sorry, Stiles." Scott says, hugging his best friend.

Derek looks at the three teenagers, the way Scott lets Stiles cling to him with desperation, the way Jessie soothes him, rubbing his back and telling him it'll be okay.

Then he looks over at Ash. At the girl trying not to break down like Stiles is. He looks over at Scott, knowing the younger wolf is too caught up with Stiles to notice how upset, how _scared_ , his older sister is.

Isaac looks at the alpha, seeing Ash is breaking too. Scott's sob cuts through the air then, no longer able to stay strong for Stiles when he's watching the guy that's practically his brother fall apart right in front of him. And that's it for Ash, see doesn't need to hear anymore, she bolts from the room.

"Go." Isaac says to the alpha, knowing Derek'll be able to help her better than he can.

Derek nods and follows the girl out of the room and into the hallway. And she's worse than before back at he loft, she holds her hand over her chest as it rises and falls quickly.

"Hey, Ash?" He says, going over to her. "You heard what Stiles said, they're fixing him right now." Derek repeats.

"I sw-swear..if-if John doesn't make it-" Tears clouds her eyes as she speaks, hating the very thought of that happening.

"No." Derek shakes his head, crotching down in front of her. "He's gonna be okay."

"How can you say that? After what you saw?" She asks him, an aggressive tone to her voice because she's hurting. "Did you know they brought my Mom here before she died? She was here, and they were trying to fix her and they couldn't." She says, trying not to cry at the thought of it happening to Stiles' Dad too, at seeing the young man go through the pain of losing a parent again.

Ash puts her hand over her eyes and shakes her head, not wanting to break and cry, she feels like she's done that too much lately. But that's the aftermath of bottling up your emotions for so long. John's the man that's filled in for her piece of _shit_ father, Ash _loves_ John, like he's her Dad.

"John's gonna be fine. He's gonna tell us what he can, and we're gonna find it, and kill it." He assures her. Ash rubs her hands down her face before looking at him "Okay?" He says. Ash just looks at him because it's never that easy, not in this town, it never is.

She can't help it, she breaks. She tries to get up, to walk away because she really doesn't want to cry right in front of Derek..again.

"Ash, where are you going?" Derek asks, stepping in front of her when she tries to leave.

"Go." She says, her cheeks already soaked with tears. "Just go." She says. Derek sighs, because he's not going to just _leave her_.

He tries touching her arm, trying to tell her, without actually saying it out-loud, that he's right here and she doesn't need to run from him. She doesn't need to be embarassed of being upset. She doesn't need to _hide_ from him.

But she's still trying to wrap her head around that. That's why Ash pushs his hand away from her, weakly. Derek just looks at her, wondering what she plans to do now.

"There's nowhere to run, Ash." He says, not threatening her in anyway, just trying to help her understand that running gets you _nowhere_. He would know, he's been running most of his life, not almost literally, but emotionally, for a _long_ time. Until this pack, until his sister came home.

Ash let's his words sink in. This time, she reaches out to him. She touches his arm, her hands unsure, hesitant, because she does want to run from all of this, but she knows he's right, she _can't_. She needs to be here for Stiles, for John, for Scott, for them all. It's what pack does. It's what _family_ does.

Derek still just looks at her, unsure if she's going to push him away again or not. But she doesn't, like in the garage, she hugs him tightly, clinging to him. It's not so much a hug, it's more of a way of hiding herself againist him where noone can see her cry. Well, noone but him.

"We're gonna find it." Derek tells her, bringing his arms around her shoulders. It's more than obvious that this all is scaring Ash. It's not just that it's John either, it's too similiar to how she lost her Mom. "We're gonna _kill_ it." He says. He leans down closer to her ear. "Do you believe me, Ash?" He asks her quietly, needing to know she does, that there's more than just some trust between them, that she at least has some _faith_ in him.

Ash pulls back a little, enough so she can look at his face. She looks at his green eyes, the ones looking back at her, and she nods, because she does believe him. She trusts and believes him.

He drinks in her watery, red-rimmed turquiose eyes and he feels that uncomfortable tug in his gut that he felt the last time she was this upset. And like last time, he still doesn't understand what exactly it is or why he feels it with her. When Jessie was devastated, after Laura, after the fire, after their fight, he just felt.. _wrong_. But with Ash, it's something different, it's an unsettling feeling.

Ash goes to pull back from him, or maybe even hug into him again, she's not sure. But somehow, it doesn't end up that way. Not at all.

Their noses graze each other's as their foreheads come to rest together. Their lips are so close that their breath is mixing. They're both _so_ hesitant, treating each other like the other's fragile. But it's not the person that's fragile, it's the situation they're now in, the very _intimate_ situation they're now somehow in, neither certain how it came to be like this.

"Ash..what are you doing?" Derek asks her, but he hasn't pulled back either. Ash frowns, like she's only just realised what's happening and snapped herself out of it, pulling away from him because she doesn't know what she was just doing. She clears her throat, wiping the tears from her face. She doesn't know what just happened, she just..he just..it just esculated, but not too far.

Ash doesn't look at him as she sits back down in the chair. She looks at her hands, her confusion clear on her face, mixed with the hurt and the pain she feels.

"S-sorry." Ash says quietly. Derek hears her and nods, a little confused about what just happened himself, but it's not like he pulled away or anything either.

"Come on, come back inside." He says, changing the subject.

"No, I-I just need a minute..alone." She shakes her head, looking in her lap.

"Come on, Ash." He says. He brings his hand up, holding it out to her. Ash looks up at him for a moment before taking it. Derek helps her to her feet, steadying her when a stab of pain rings through her ribs. He even opens the door for her, letting her go in first. Ash gives him a weak smile and they both go and sit down with the pack, both still thinking about the more intimate moment they just shared.

..

Ash stands outside the hospital, having a smoke. They've been here all day. The sun's getting ready to set. Stiles has settled some, the doctor's been in to tell us John's looking alot better. He's not long out of surgery but they have to watch him for a few more hours before they release him to a room. Which means the humans will stay at the hospital tonight while the wolves search for the 'animal' that did this, that _keeps_ doing this.

Ash is finding it harder and harder to see that light at the end of the tunnel, they all are, some just have more hope than others. They know it's canine, but the wolves can't find it. It's not looking good for the Hale pack right now. It's not looking good for this town.

Ash is so distracted by her thoughts, about John, the animal attacks, what happened before with Derek, and the steady in and out of tobacco smoke that she doesn't see or hear the man that approaches her.

"I heard about John." Ash jumps in surprise when she hears his voice. She turns around, her insides twisting with dread when she sees her father. His black eye is fading, all the swelling's gone down. Ash swallows, her eyes flicking left to right to see if anyone's around. "Is he going to be okay?" He asks her, acting as casual as ever, like he didn't beat her only days ago.

Ash doesn't answer. She just wants to get the hell away from him. She doesn't want him anywhere near Scott either.

"Where's Jade?" He asks, realising she's not answering that other question. And she's definitely not answering this one. "Where is my daughter, Ash?" He asks, stepping a little closer to her.

"Stay away from her, stay away from Scott, stay away from me." Ash warns him, trying to appear stronger than she feels.

"Ah, she speaks." Rafael smiles, like it's some kind of sick game.

"Did you hear me? Stay away from my family." She says.

"It's not your family." Rafael says. "It's mine and your mother's. And given our circumstances, it's mine." He says. Ash clenches her teeth. "Now, I'll ask once more. Where is Jade?" He asks, completely cool-headed. Ash shakes her head.

From inside, Derek stands up.

"I'll go, you stay here with them." Derek says, looking at Scott.

"I'll come with you." Isaac says. Derek nods.

"Okay, I'll take Isaac. We're meeting up with Peter, we'll search the woods once it's dark. We'll make sure noone else gets hurt." He says the last part, glancing at Stiles with an apologetic look, because he does take some of the blame for it. Stiles smiles weakly but gratefully. Derek kisses Jessie's head. "Be safe." He says to her.

"Yeah, you too." She says as she watches him and Isaac leave.

"You think we're really gonna find this thing?" Isaac asks his alpha as they walk back through the halls.

"Yeah, we are, we have too. And when we do, we kill it." Derek says with conviction.

"You know.." Rafael says, stepping closer to his oldest daughter again. "It's polite to answer your father when he's talking to you." He says, grabbing her uncasted wrist. Ash tenses up.

"Let me go." She says, making her voice come out strong and angry. Rafael just raises his eyebrows, daring her to do something. "Get your fucking hands off me." She grounds out, staring him the eye angerily. When his hand moves quickly, Ash flinches. And both Derek and Isaac see this as they walk out of the hospital.

"Hey! Let her go, _now_." Derek warns, him and Isaac walking over to the two. Ash looks down at her feet, wishing they wouldn't get involved. She knows this is going to make keeping everything that happened under wraps even harder. Rafael smiles a little and lets her go.

"Everything's okay, boys. I was just checking on my daughter." Rafael tells him. "Right, Ash?" He asks, looking at her. Ash nods. "Tell Stiles I hope John's healing, sweetheart." He says with a fatherly touch to her arm. "You boys have a nice night." He says, nodding to Derek and Isaac as he turns and walks away. Peter's walking over to them as Rafael passes him, walking away. He notices the fading red and purple marks under the man's eye and smirks.

Derek and Isaac look at each other with frowns, then over at Ash. Ash walks past them both. Derek tries to catch her arm, wondering what the hell just happened. The second Ash feels his hand on her arm, right where her father just pretended to give her a loving squeeze, she snaps, slapping his hand away from her, alot harder and alot angrier than she did earlier. Isaac steps back without thinking, his eyes flicking between the two adults.

"Don't ever grab me again." She warns him before going back into the hospital. Peter puts his hand to his nephew's chest when he looks like he might go after her.

"I told you, _don't_ get involved in their family drama." Peter says to him. But it's not about family drama, it's about _her_ , it's about Ash.

Derek gives Peter a similar treatment, pushing his hand away before walking away, continuing on his intended journey. Peter and Isaac follow him, Derek's shoulders tense with frustration.

..

..

 **They might be getting closer to cracking the secret Ash is keeping about her father now! And what the heck was that odd moment between Derek and Ash? Favourite, follow and review!**


	25. All Of The Truth

**I know my readers are going to be happy with this chapter for more than one reason!**

 **Shout out to:**

 ***Serena Sterling: I know I am! No, I can assure you, Jacob really is just in town to see his Grandmother, he's not a baddie, there's too many baddies already :) Thanks and you're welcome!**

 ***Tesla424: Yay, there was some suspense then! It is** _ **totally**_ **going to happen soon!**

 ***Maxine Hale: He's got a pretty good idea, yes! Thank you, here's the update!**

 ***TheHungryRainbow: No, sorry, Rafael doesn't get his consequences dished to him** _ **just**_ **yet!**

 **..**

It's getting late, really late. They still haven't let John out or let anyone in to see him yet.

Stiles is finding all of this too much, over-stressing. He doesn't like hospitals to begin with. He sat at his own mother's side and watched as she weithered away in a hosital bed, until she died. He's scared to see the same thing happen to his father. Jessie still sits beside him. She's got her fingers threaded through his, rubbing the back of his hand with her other hand. Stiles' other hand is up at his mouth, allowing him to bite at his thumbnail anxiously.

"Hey, it's gonna be okay, Stiles." Jessie says, seeing the tears gathering in his eyes again.

"You don't know that." Stiles says.

"But I believe it." She says. "Do you?" She asks him.

"I..I don't know." He sighs sadly. "I just don't like being alone." Stiles says, tears in his eyes as he waits anxiously to hear any results about his father. "I'm not good on my own."

"You're not gonna be alone, he's gonna be okay." Jessie tells him, rubbing his arm.

"Just..m-my head? It just gets so loud, and nothing makes sense. Nothing..nothing syncs up. I start thinking about my thinking and-and i'm just getting lost in the details of _nothing_." Stiles says, his body starting to shake as his heart starts to speed up.

"You need sleep, Stiles." Jessie says, looking at the bags under his blood-shot eyes.

"No. I have to wait for his papers to go through, be processed and then maybe they'll let me see him." Stiles says, his voice as tired as he looks.

"She's right, Stiles." Ash says. "Get home, get some rest. I'll call you the second I know anything." She says. Stiles shakes his head.

"I can't leave him." He says.

"He wouldn't want you sitting here for hours on end, you know that." Ash says. She leans forward, putting her hand on his knee. "Come on, get home, Jessie will drive." She deligates.

"What about you?" Jessie asks her.

"I'll be okay to stay." Ash says. She shakes Scott awake from beside her. "Hey, go home with Stiles and Jessie." She tells him. He groans tiredly, blinking rapidly to wake up properly.

"What?" He asks.

"You three are going home." Ash says.

"Ash, I should really stay-" Stiles tries. Ash puts on her 'Mom' face.

"Go home and sleep." She says evenly. "All of you. I will ring you if _anything_ comes up, I swear. But please, get some rest." She says. Scott nods and gets to his feet.

"Come on, Stiles." He says to his best friend. Stiles sighs and nods, getting to his feet. "Jess, let's go." He says.

Jessie stands up as well.

"If you need anything, call me." Jessie says to Ash because she saw the way Ash bolted earlier and how Derek went after her.

"Yeah." Ash nods. Scott kisses her cheek before Ash watches the three exhausted teenagers leave, Stiles as reluctant as ever, but the most drowsy of them all.

Ash leans back further in her chair, relaxing her body but her mind is a completely opposite place. She sighs, her eyes watering a little. But this time, while she's alone, she doesn't sniff them away, she doesn't wipe them away, she does nothing. She just lets the ones that need to fall, fall gently and silently down her cheeks.

It doesn't take long for the silence and calmness of the room to take it's toll on Ash. She's almost drifting off to sleep. She's been trying not to because she needs to stay awake in case something happens with John but she's having difficulty sticking to that.

She wakes properly when the door opens though. Ash is glad though as she's been waiting to hear from the doctor for hours. But when she looks up, she pauses. That's not the doctor. She looks down into her lap again, picking at her cast so she has something to occupy her hands and eyes.

"Where's Jessie?" Derek asks her.

"She left with Scott and Stiles, they're gonna try get some sleep, they're exhausted." She says.

"They're not the only ones." Derek comments, looking at the bags forming under Ash's eyes from staying up.

"You should get home, go check on the kids." Ash suggests, wanting to be alone again. And her and Derek are..things between them are.. _troubled_ right now. They're okay, then they're not, then they fight and argue, then they almost kiss, then-

 _Whoa_.

What?

Almost _kiss_?

Is that what that was?

"The _kids_?" He questions her terminology.

"Yeah. They are kids." She bites out.

"You're only a few years older, Ash." He points out. Ash just shrugs, she's always been the 'parent', the 'adult', so they do feel like kids to her.

"Just go home, Derek. It's late." Ash sighs. "I'm perfectly capable of waiting by myself."

"No, I'll stay too." Derek says as he sits down across from Ash. She doesn't answer him, not knowing what to say to that because she knows he won't listen if she tells him to go again anyway. The alpha's going to stay put, wait it out with her.

"How's John?" He asks after a few minutes of stretched silence.

"He's doing a little better. They still won't let us see him though" She says, still looking at her arm. "Did you find anything?"

"No..again." He sighs, disappointed.

"John might know something, we'll figure this out." She says, trying to convince herself as well as him.

Derek sighs, already sick on talking to her silky black hair instead of her face.

"Did you think I was gonna hurt you back there or something?" He asks her. Ash's eyes shoot up to him. "Hit you-"

"Don't." She warns him, not even letting him finish. The reaction to him grabbing her just jumped out of her body, like an instinct. She looks back down with a scowl, pissed that he brought that up.

"Then can you look at least look at me?" He asks her. Ash slowly looks up at the older man but doesn't say anything, still wearing her wicked glare. And if looks could kill..

So, Derek decides he'll just use this time they have alone to talk to her about a few things that have been weighing on his mind.

"You know, you've got some heavy secrets, Ash." He says. "I see the weight of them, I see how they drag you down. But it's for your family, right? It's why you haven't been telling the truth, yes?" He asks her.

Ash falters, her glare falling into a frown.

"You don't know shit about it." She says. She doesn't think anyone can understand the twisted up crap she feels every day. She _hopes_ noone feels the same way, for their sake. The things she does, is to protect her family. But Derek does understand, better than anyone.

"You're wrong." He says.

"No, you are." She corrects him. "You have _no_ idea what I have done for my family." She says bitterly.

"I get it, okay? Because I'd do anything for my sister as well." He says, getting a little defensive, feeling as though the hairs on his coat should be starting to rise, if he was an actual wolf that is. "I get that you're hurting. I know, I've lived it too." He says, not commenting on her snappish attitude.

It's just how she is, she'd rather be angry than sad. Normally, she snaps and they leave her alone after that..but not Derek though, he has a stronger constitution than that.

Derek looks down before he admits this next part.

"I still live with it." He admits.

Ash looks at him properly now. She supposes he does get it, his mother, actually his whole family, were murdered. He gets it. If anyone gets it, it's Derek and Jessie.

"But you didn't come all this way to talk about your hidden feelings, Derek. What do you want?" Ash asks, getting straight to the point but dropping her attitude a little bit. Derek does appreciate her straight-forwardness, reminds him of himself.

"You know what I want." Derek says.

"I told you, I don't know anything." Ash says. "I said it more than enough, I was jum-"

"Don't lie to me twice, Ash." He says seriously, not letting her finish her lie. He didn't really believe she was jumped from the beginning, and after the things Ash said, he certainly doesn't believe it now. But he's tried to respect her, to keep his mouth shut. But now, now it's just out of hand, _everything_ is out of hand. if he can fix one thing, he's going to try. He's ]the alpha, his pack's safety is his responsibility.

"Just back off, it's not your business." Ash says, looking at him with hard eyes.

"Thats where you're wrong. When that 'business' comes along and hits you hard enough in the face, then it becomes my business." Derek says.

He's not trying to be an asshole, but the 'nice and comforting' path hasn't worked for him so far. But then Ash looks away because his words ring true. She knows he's right, she knows she has to tell the truth eventually. But what she knows and what she does, they're two different things.

"I don't know you like Scott does. But I do know something about burying the truth." Derek says. Ash feels the tears stinging in her eyes but tries to force them back. "And I can tell you, it's a _mistake_. You wanna carry that guilt around for the rest of your life?"

"I'm not guilty of anything." Ash says.

"Neither was I." He says. "But I'm still guilty because I lied."

"About what?" Ash asks him. Derek just shakes his head because Peter's the only one who knows the _full_ truth about him and Kate, about their secret relationship. Not even Jessie knows the full extend of it all, she was so young when the fire happened. "What the hell did you do, Derek?"

"It doesn't matter. Just know that my screw ups got people hurt, alot of people." He says. Ash swears saddness has washed over him but he's _so_ good at masking his emotions. "If your lies get people hurt then you're as guilty as I am."

"That's unbelievably cruel." She says. "I did it so noone else would get hurt." She says, her voice cracking as a tear slips down her cheek.

Derek feels a tang of regret pass him as the girl starts to weep, he's never been that good with words, he didn't mean to make her cry, he's just trying to help. Then realisation comes over him when he puts together what she just said.

"What did _you_ do, Ash?" He asks her.

"I lied, okay? You're right, I wasn't jumped. I've been lying the entire time." She admits, hiccuping as another couple tears dribble down her cheeks. He obviously knows she lied so Ash doesn't bother to hide it anymore.

"Then what the hell happened to you that night?" He asks her. It's Ash that shakes her head this time.

"I don't want anyone to know." Ash says. "Things are hard enough with what h-happened to Mom..I don't want everyone to know about this." She sighs, wiping the tears from her face and sniffing. "If I tell everyone, this won't be about my Mom anymore, or about any of these murders, it's gonna stir-up alot of shit that my family doesn't need." She says. "Trust me, it's better noone knows."

"Ash." Derek says. She refuses to look at him. "Ash, look at me." He says. She sniffs and looks at him. "The only thing worse then everyone knowing, is nobody knowing."

"I-I know." Ash says, a sob raking through her. Derek sighs. He gets up and takes the seat beside her, bringing an arm around her shoulders. He gets that this secret or whatever, isn't to protect her, it's too protect her family, and that makes it much harder for Ash to reveal.

Ash just leans her head on his collarbone, trying to vent through her own crap.

"Just tell me who hurt you, Ash." Derek says. "We'll deal with it, no cops." He says. "I just need a name, we'll make sure they never hurt you again."

"N-no. He's gonna hurt my family." She says, looking down as more tears slide down her cheeks. "I can't." She shakes her head.

"Who, Ash?" He asks, pulling back enough to look at her.

"I-I can't." She says. "If I do..Jade and Scott are gonna be taken away and I can't let that happen, Derek, I can't. My Mom would hate me if she knew I let that happen, Scott would hate me too, and I'd have no family and..and.." Ash is in hysterics by now, rambling quickly and anxiously, taking quick swallow breathes but it feels like she's suffocating under the crushing weight of all of this.

Derek just looks at Ash, frozen. He had no idea this person, this _man_ , had this kind of hold over her. He can see how it's been built up and how scared she is of the outcome of coming clean. He can see _exactly_ why she's tried so hard to keep it a secret.

"Ash, listen to me." Derek says in a softer voice. He digs deep for this part of him. It's rare for him to bring out the small part of him that's a comforter and caring. The part of him that comes straight from his mother and that's much more potent in Jessie, not so much him. But he can see clear as day that this girl needs it right now.

"Noone is hurting your family. And noone is hurting you ever again, alright? Just tell me who it is and we'll figure it out." Derek says, putting his hand on her knee.

Ash sighs, uncertain.

"No, I'm sorry." She says quietly.

"Ash, you gotta tell me." He says. Ash sniffs, looking up at Derek. She puts her hand over his and squeezes it, threading her fingers through his. Derek just watches her unsure whether she's going to give him the name or not.

"I told you already, you're a _good_ man, Derek." She says with a weak smile. He frowns, because even thought that was kind and sincere, she's avoiding the subject.

Ash brings his hand up to her mouth and kisses the back of it, looking down into her lap because she's never felt this conflicted before. She _needs_ to get this out, she can't keep lying to everyone she cares about anymore. But, she also _needs_ to protect her family.

Derek watches her, momentarily stunned but also intrigued.

"But no..I-I can't." Ash shakes her head, pulling away from him and standing up.

Derek looks up at her, seeing how twisted she feels right now.

"I want to help you. Just let me help you, Ash." Derek says.

"I don't need your help." Ash says, running her hands through her hair. "Please, can you just leave it alone."

"No, I can't. You need something-" He says.

"Stop trying to fix me!" She snaps at him angerily, unable to hold it in because of her own conflict and frustration. "I'm not broken! I don't need your help! I don't need anyone's h-help!" She yells at him, hiccuping a little.

"That's not true." He shakes his head, standing up.

"It is true!" She spits. "I can handle this by _myself_ -"

"You keep saying that and it's fucking _bullshit_!" Ash, and maybe Derek even a litte too, are surprised when the man yells back at her, getting fed up with her ' _I can do it all myself_ ' attitude. That got her hurt. That made her lie. That's _tearing her apart_.

And Derek's done pretending, he's done pretending he doesn't give a shit about how it effects her anymore. God, he's so _done_ acting like he doesn't feel sick every time he thinks of someone hurting her and leaving those wounds on her body. He's just done pretending. He's done with it.

"Maybe if you weren't so goddamn stubborn, we could have dealt with the person that hurt you! We could have dealt with it and you would be fine! But no, instead you wallow in this self-hating shit, you stop talking and sleeping, thinking you deserved it for I don't know what reason when we _all_ know you didn't!" He bellows at her. "Do you have any idea how we felt when we found you? How _I_ felt? We thought you were dead! We thought..we thought we'd lost you!"

He's never yelled at her like that before, not with that kind of _depth_ , not with that _need_ to drill the truth into her head, the _real_ truth.

Ash's eyes widen and she just looks at the man with watery eyes, not able to summon a reply to any of that.

"Why are you doing this to yourself, Ash?" He asks her, letting his voice calm back to a normal volume again.

Even though this is about her, it's about Derek too. It's about him making all these same mistakes when he was younger and not wanting to watch her, someone he _cares_ about, make them as well. He's not just yelling at her, he's..he's yelling at himself, doing what his mother, or father, or older sister never got to do for the _stupid_ things he did. But those mistakes took their lives and Derek will _never_ forgive himself for that. But he _will_ make sure Ash doesn't follow in his footsteps, he won't let her go through all the pain he went, and still goes, through.

"You..you don't get it." Ash says quietly, her voice cracking like dry skin and shaking like it's cold outside.

For a moment, Derek's worried he's scared her. But she doesn't run away, she stands her ground even if she is in tears and feels so much worse than she looks.

"No, I don't." He agrees. "I don't understand why you're lying about this. You say he's gonna hurt your family? Who, Ash? _Who_ is gonna hurt your family? Because if you don't tell me, he's gonna do it anyway-"

"I'm a criminal, Derek!" She exclaims loudly, like that's the answer to it all. Derek doesn't say anything, he just lets her say what she needs to say. Ash laughs but it's completely humorless and broken, sounding more like she's going to burst into tears which isn't far from the truth considering there's already tear tracks down both of her cheeks. "He's as straight and faultless as they come-"

"No, he's not." Derek speaks up with his disagreement this time. "Look at what he did to you-"

"I know that, okay? I know! But noone else will believe it because of that." She says, trying to make him understand without telling him the truth.

"I'll believe it, Scott will believe, John will too." Derek says.

"Even if that were true, the law will be on _his_ side, like it has been since he starting working for them." Ash sighs, rubbing her hands down her face, scrubbing away her tears.

It's like a clock ticking by the seconds in Derek's head as he pieces the puzzle together.

 _'This isn't about the pack'_

Derek thinks back to how Ash was jumpy with her Aunt and Uncle. But that was just being _jumpy_. Flinching though.. There's only one person he's seen her completely flinch away from in fear.

And he works in law enforcement, _the law on his side_.

"Your Dad?" Derek says. He knows he's right by the way Ash's eyes widen and she opens her mouth to object but doesn't, he'd be able to hear she was lying anyway. "Your Dad?" He says again, anger starting to blood through each vein because her silence is just the confirmation he needs.

"Derek.." Ash says, unsure how to proceed with this. She sees the way his frustrations spell out across his face, his arms becoming tense.

"Your _Dad_ was the one doing this to you?" He asks her. "The one leaving the bruises, the one that.." He doesn't finish his sentence but his eyes sweep over the wounds on her face and her cast. "He's the one that hurt you." This is in no way a question, that one's a statement. A statement that Derek knows is _completely_ true.

He feels angry, every part of him is _angry_. Not only did Rafael leave his family behind but he came back and beat one his children, his _daughter_. Bet her and threatened to go after the rest of her family. Not only that, but he's been trying to take Jade since he showed his face. None of that is okay with Derek, or his wolf, _not at all_.

"Derek, please.." She says, holding her hands up as not to set him off. "Please, don't.." But he doesn't reply because he knows all that'll come out will be something angry. He's not angry at her, he's frustrated that she thought she's had to hide this all this time. And he's mad at himself for not catching on. How she was around her father, how he had a black eye of his own..how was he so blind? How were _they all_ so blind? "Derek?" She calls out when he doesn't say anything. "Please..I can..I can handle this." She pleads.

Hearing her say that, _again_ , just sets something off in him. Like I said, he's done pretending he doesn't care.

Derek looks at her and she's silently begging him to stay put. But he can't do that. He bounces off his feet, walking towards her purposefully. He's going to show her right now why he can't just turn the other cheek, why he can't just lie along with her.

Not far down the hall, Jacob hugs his Grandmother goodbye before heading out of her hospital room to let her get some rest.

He straightens his shirt and takes a breath before walking towards the Sheriff's waiting room where he knows Stiles wil be waiting. And hopefully, Ash too. That's why he's going there. He wants to see her again.

But when he gets to the doorway, he's shocked to a pause.

Ash shakes her head, taking a step back as Derek walks up to her.

"No. No, stop. I don't need your self-help bullsh-" He cuts her off by grabbing her face. There's not a single _second_ for Ash to react before he pulls her forward, pressing his lips to her's. Both of Ash's hands, on instinct, shoot out like she's going to shove him away. Except they never make contact, instead slowing and stopping to hover above his chest.

Jacob watches from the doorway, swallowing thickly.

He watches as Derek kisses Ash, Jacob's ex that Jacob wishes he never hurt. His ex that wasn't supposed to get away. His ex that he was maybe hoping to fix things with, more than just make amends.

The ex that is standing there, half shocked, not kissing Derek back, but not pushing him away either. Her eyes have shut without her consent, as they do whenever you kiss somebody but her face is screwed up a little because _she was not expecting this at all_.

Derek pulls away slowly, opening his eyes to look at her.

Ash takes a longer moment to recover from the kiss, her eyes lazily opening and looking back at him.

And by the time they've done this, Jacob is gone from the doorway, not wanting to stick around and watch some guy kiss his girl. What _used_ to be his girl. But he screwed that up all on his own.

"I'm sorry, but I can't let this slide. He has to suffer the consequences for what he did to you." Derek says before he turns on his heel, shooting out the door before Ash can realise what he means by that.

"No, no, no. Wait! Derek!" Ash yells after him. She sobs, knowing he'll be going after Rafael and he'll probably do something stupid, something _bad_. This is not going to end well. This is _exactly_ what Ash was trying to avoid.

..

Pumped with adrenaline and anger, Derek inhales deeply, seeking out a particular person's scent. That asshole that put his hands on the girl that deserved it the least, not that anyone does deserve it. But Ash especially not. Her biggest obstacle is her own heart, her need to put her family, and everyone else, before herself. She was willing to lie about who beat her just to save Scott and Jade from some painful truths. That's the kind of girl she is. She's the kind that doesn't deserve harm, but she seems to think otherwise.

Derek stops, hearing the rustle of leaves. He looks around the woods surrounding him. He hears more rustles. His eyes instantly flare up alpha red when a canine scent fills his nose.

But he backs down when he sees it's just a German Sheppard, a Rottweiler and very large Great Dane. He lets his eyes go back to human green.

"What are you doing all the way out here?" He asks them, confused. His eyes widen as he watches something even he has never seen before. The sound of cracking bones fills the air and in the place of the Great Dane now stands a man, a naked man.

"We were waiting for you." The man says. The other two dogs round him and Derek lets his eyes shine red again, standing his ground as his claws and fangs come out. "We thought all of you Hales were dead."

"Well, you were wrong." Derek says, watching the man's every move, keeping the dogs in his sights too. He's never seen something like this before, only heard the legends, the stories of this species.

"Then that would mean that dark red-headed _gash_ is your sister. Yeah, I like her-" Derek doesn't even let him finish. He roars loudly, charging at the man as the dogs rush at him too.

His roar draws the attention of all the wolves. Peter. Isaac. Scott. They know exactly what that was, that was a challenge to fight. That was an intimadation display before he fought. They have to go, they have to go to their alpha, he needs them.

..

..

 **Oh! Here they come! And oh, my God! A Dash kiss, finally! It wasn't as 'magical' and 'fireworks exploding' as Stessie's first kiss, but given the circumstances, I think that would have been unrealistic if it was considering they were just fighting. If you couldn't tell, Jacob's a** _ **little**_ **hurt from what he saw :( Favourite, follow and review!**


	26. Untimely Demise

**Shout out to:**

 ***Serena Sterling: Yes, they** _ **finally**_ **did! But yes, Ash was a little shocked so Derek did all the work ;) You're welcome and thank you!**

 ***TheHungryRainbow: Hehe, good to know you don't always support it :P**

 ***Tesla424: Thanks! Yes, the 'dog shifter dudes' are getting bolder and becoming more of a part of the story! Yes, Dash for the win!**

 **..**

It's quiet back in the waiting room as Ash sits there by herself. There's nothing she can do, there's no way she'd catch up to Derek, and she doesn't even know where he could have gone, or where Rafael could be. Ash didn't know what to do, so she came back inside to watch out for John like she promised Stiles she would, it's all she _could_ do.

She tries to ring Derek for the third time in the last half hour. And once again, there's no answer. She needs to know something, _anything_. He kissed her. _He_ kissed _her_. Ash doesn't know what it means, what he wanted it to mean, if he cares about her like she cares about him, or anything like that.

All Ash knows is that her lips haven't stopped tingling since he pressed his to her's and gave her these swarming butterflies in her stomach. And now, she can't stop worrying about him, where he went, what he's doing, if he's in trouble. He sent her emotions on a rollercoaster and then took off and left her to deal with them herself.

"Shit." Ash sighs. She rubs her hand down her face, slipping her phone back into her pocket.

Seconds tick by, followed by minutes, with still nothing from Derek. No contact, by phone or in person.

This is why, this is _exactly_ why, Ash wanted to keep this to herself and try to figure something out _alone_. She has no idea what Derek's doing, she has _no_ clue what could be happening, or if he's in trouble or not.

Derek could be hurt. Rafael could have pulled his gun on the werewolf, abusing and hurting people isn't beyond him, _obviously_. Derek could have wolfed out and scared people, been shot at, or worse.. _killed_.

Derek could be locked up or in handcuffs right now. Maybe something went wrong in Derek's 'foulproof' plan to go after him with blind rage. Other officers could have seen him, could have caught Derek hurting him. Derek could be in a cell as we speak.

Rafael could be _dead_.

Ash pauses, her mind dwelling on that one.

Derek's tough, _robust_ , resilient like you wouldn't believe. If Ash really thinks about it, if it came down to Derek and Rafael, Ash knows Derek would be the one walking away from that one.

She doesn't really know how she feels about that. She doesn't know if she's okay with it or not. She just..she doesn't know.

Ash's head snaps up, her eyes locking onto the door when it opens. She hopes for Derek, but she doesn't get that. But it's still good news, it's Doctor Samuels. The Sheriff's doctor.

"How is he? Is he gonna be okay? Can I see him?" Ash throws question after question at the man as she shoots out of her chair, skidding to an anxious stop in front of the doctor in the white lab coat and scrubs.

"He is concious." Doctor Samuels tells her.

"Thank god." Ash sighs in relief, feeling some of that souringly sick feeling in her gut disappear. But not all of it, some of it's for Derek too. He kissed her, then he took off to go after her father.. That's not very comforting for Ash, she wishes to all hell that he didn't leave it that way. But he did, and she has no idea what to do about it all. But now's not the time to think about that, now's the time to make sure John's okay.

"You can go in and see him, he's been returned to his room where he'll stay for a few days or more, depending, so we can moderate him." Samuels says.

"Thank you, so much." Ash says gratefully. "Where?" Ash asks, heading towards the door and reaching for her phone so she can call Stiles like she promised she would once she heard something.

"Keep going down the hall, around the corner and it's the last door on your left." He tells her. Ash gives him a thankful nod and starts racing down the hall. She rounds the corner and runs straight into someone.

"Shit, I'm so sorry." Ash says, grabbing their shoulders and steadying them.

His eyes come up, locking onto her's.

"Jacob.." Ash says, her turquoise eyes meeting his brown ones.

"Why didn't you tell me?" Jacob asks her.

"What are you talking about?" Ash asks him, her hands dropping from his shoulders. "Tell you about what?"

"About you and Derek." He tries. But Ash has already heard enough. She's not discussing this with him. She shakes her head, in hopes he'll stop, but he doesn't. "Why didn't you tell me you were with him?"

"I have to go see John." Ash says, moving past him.

"Hold on, we're not done talking. You string me along while you're with him-" Jacob grabs her hand and it jumps out of Ash like an instinct, just like with Derek grabbing her. Her open hand meets his cheek, the slap even stinging the skin on her palm too, not just his cheek. She rips her hand out of his grasp. She's angry, angry at what he's just said because from the _moment_ he stepped in her door, she made it _very_ clear they would never be what they used to be ever again. And she's even angrier because he practically accused her of cheating, if his facts were correct. She's _never_ cheated, she _never_ would. That sin, that sin is on Jacob, not Ash. He's got _no_ right to throw that at her.

"No, we are done talking." Ash says, holding her hand up in front of her. She thinks of leaving it at that and just walking away, but she has something to say. Something she _needs_ to say.

"You know what, Jacob? In the past month I've lost my mother, I've been beaten bloody, I've been in hospital, I might be having my family taken away from me, I've been through _hell_ and now the guy who should be my father is sitting in a hospital bed with his stomach held together with stitches." Ash says, finally letting her emotions explode out of her because she just can't handle all of this anymore. All she wants to do is see John's okay with her own eyes. She didn't sign up for Derek to kiss her then run off, not that she's objective to the kiss part. She didn't sign up for Jacob to waltz back into her life again like nothing ever happened. She didn't sign up for _any_ of this _bullshit_. So, for _once_ , she's not having _any_ of it.

"I don't know what you saw, Jacob, but what me and Derek do is _none_ of your business." She says, pointing at him. "I gave you a second chance, to see if we could be friends, because you were kind enough to come to me like man and apologise for what happened. Well, you know what? You _crushed_ me when you cheated, you really did, you broke my heart. But that was _2 years ago_. I am _over_ it. Since you've come back, I've _never_ strung you along, I've _never_ given you the impression we could ever be anything more than friends. So if you think I'm going to come crawling back to you just because you're showing your face again then you're more than wrong." She lectures.

"I.." Jacob doesn't know what to say. He's stunned. Ash is what you would call a 'dangerous calm'. When she gets to that calm, but subtly angry point, you know you need to back the _hell_ off. But she's never exploded on him like that before. Even when she walked in and saw him _inside_ of her roommate. She threw punches, yes, she threw plates, yes, but she never gave a moral lecture like she just did.

She's done being walked over, by her father and by him. She should have thrown him out the second he showed his face. But she didn't, she thought, because it'd been 2 years and they'd grown up a little more, she'd give him the benefit of the doubt and let him into her life again. That was _her_ mistake, her _stupid_ mistake, and she won't be making it again.

"Goodbye, Jacob." Ash says with watery eyes because that rant took alot out of her already emotionally drained body, and she just _needs_ to see John, not deal with any of this.

She walks away from him, spotting the last door on the left and walking into the room. She bursts through the doors, her body flushing with relief when she sees John. She goes over and hugs him, being very cautious of the wounds to his torso area that the hospital gown hides.

"Jesus Christ, John, you scared the shit out of us." Ash says. John rubs her back softly. Ash pulls back, dragging a chair up beside him to sit down in.

"I'm okay." He assures her with a soft smile. "Takes a hell of alot more than that to take down a Stilinski." He says. Ash smiles too, rubbing his arm with both of her hands.

John's smile falls when he sees the tears gathered in his surrogate daughter's eyes.

"Ash..what's wrong?" He asks her.

"It-it's nothing, I'm okay." She tries to assure him, not wanting to drag him down with her troubles. But John's been around since Ash was in diapers, he knows when she's well and truely upset. And she is, right now.

"Ash?" He says, studying her face.

Ash bites her bottom lip to attempt to hold in the sob she can feel rising in her throat.

"Sweetheart..talk to me." He says softly, putting his hands on her arm now.

And just like that, she breaks.

John embraces her, being careful of his wounds, and brushes his hand down her hair, hushing her and assuring her that whatever it is, it'll be okay.

..

Once Ash could calm herself down, she thanked John and excused herself to call Stiles. She didn't give John much, but he didn't push her for the specifics either. Sometimes you just need to cry, your heart just needs to wash itself out.

Ash paces outside of John's room, waiting for the rest of the pack to arrive, which will _hopefully_ include Derek too since she sent him the text on John's health status as well.

Ash's feet stop and she looks up when she hears fastly approaching footsteps.

Stiles, followed closely by Jessie.

Ash gets the door for him, watching as Stiles races into the room and hugs him father, tightly gripping his hospital robe.

Jessie stops beside Ash, letting Stiles have this moment with his father privately.

"He's in the clear?" Jessie asks Ash.

"Yeah." She nods.

"That's really good news." Jessie smiles. "Stiles is so happy." She says, looking over at the boy who's still hugging him Dad. She turns back to Ash. "Heard from anyone else?"

"No, not yet." Ash shakes her head. "I let them all know though, it won't be long before.." She trails off, hearing a gathering of footsteps rounding the corner. Jessie hears it too, looking up.

The pack briskly walk over to the two girls. Scott looks in the room, seeing Stiles is with his father and John's okay. _Alive_ and okay.

"He's gonna be fine, Scott." Jessie assures the younger male. Scott gives her a weak smile before looking down at his dirty sneakers. That makes Ash frown.

"What's wrong?" Ash asks him. She thought he'd be as thrilled as she and Stiles were. But there's something else wrong. Her eyes shoot between Scott and Isaac, seeing the hidden frowns behind the relieved smiles they've put on their faces.

"Something happened." Scott says, looking up at both girls. Jessie looks at the wolves properly now, studying them. So does Ash. And that's when they both notice that there's 3 of them, not 4 of them. Their alpha is nowhere in sight.

"Where's Derek?" Jessie asks, looking between them all. Scott looks down at his feet again, wondering how the hell he's supposed to tell them this news. He was hoping Peter would, but he wouldn't. It was horrible enough to watch, he doesn't want to watch it crush them too. But he has too.

Stiles spots the pack and John nods for him to go. He squeezes his Dad's shoulder before walking out to them.

"What's up?" Stiles asks. Then he ses the looks on their faces and knows something's wrong. "No..what happened?" He asks, dreading the answer.

"Scott..what happened?" Ash repeats the question, stepping closer to him because she can tell something's very wrong here.

"There's a pack of them, I'm not exactly sure what they are yet." Scott starts, unsure how to deliver this news. "They got to Derek. We heard him howl, we all went after him." Scott says. So, he didn't make it to Rafael.

Ash looks between all three of the wolves with worry, hoping this isn't going where she thinks it is, hoping it's not why Scott and Isaac look so wretched, and Peter looks less uptight and sarcastic than usual.

Jessie stares at the double doors at the end of the hall that they came through, praying her big brother's going to walk through it, hopefully only a little scratched up.

"Scott?" Ash says when he doesn't go on, fearing the rest of his answer.

"The fight took us all to the look-out." Scott continues.

"Is that where he is? Is that where Derek is?" Jessie asks, her voice getting desperate because Derek hasn't come in and they're avoiding the subject. Scott looks at her sadly and Jessie's entire stomach drops. "No.." She shakes her head.

"He took one down with him." Scott says, looking away from his sister's face because she looks so hopeful and he knows he's about to ruin that.

"Scott, where's my brother?" Jessie asks, her eyes filling with tears. "Tell me!" She snaps desperately when he doesn't answer her.

"I..I'm sorry, he.." Scott doesn't have to finish the sentence.

Jessie backs away from them, until her back hits the wall. She breaks, starting to sob loudly and Stiles goes straight over to her, pulling her close. She holds onto him tightly, crying into his neck. Stiles tears up as he tries to soothe the girl he's really come to care about. But she's inconsolable right now, and noone blames her.

Ash doesn't say anything, she can't. She sits down in one of the chairs because her legs aren't doing to well to keep her upright. She feels like everything's stuck in her throat. Any words, questions, sobs, tears, her goddamn breath. She is so _sick_ of losing people she cares about. She's sick of being hurt and upset and angry. She's sick of.. _losing_. They don't deserve this, this pack is trying to _help_ , not cause trouble. So why do all the bad things happen to them? She just doesn't understand, she doesn't think she wants to understand how their twisted little town works.

"Ash?" Scott says, sitting down beside her. "Ash? Ash, please say something." He says, putting his hand on her back. Ash turns to look at him. She lurches forward, hugging around his neck tightly. Her eyes are wide with shock, her brow furrowed as she tries to process this news. Derek..he's..he's..gone? He's gone.

 _Gone_.

It takes a little while for her to get over the shock, but Scott feels her start to shake as she finally starts to cry. He rubs his hand up and down her back.

"It's okay." He says softly. He knows her and Derek were getting closer, of course he has no idea how close they'd gotten hours earlier. And even if they weren't close, they were still pack, it still hurts. Ash feels that ache in her chest, the one that feels like a gaping hole, that she got when her mother passed, she feels that slice open again, stinging and aching againist the harsh reality of another loss.

"Everything's gonna be okay, Ash, shhh." Scott whispers, brushing his other hand down her hair gently as he weeps silently for the alpha himself. Ash hides her face in Scott's neck because this news of the alpha's death is hitting Ash harder than she expected, she's crying properly now, because deep down she knew she cared for him, she just never really let it show, only in small doses, and only when it was just him and her. She planned to show some of that once he came back, unharmed. Obviously that's not an option now.

Scott tries to block out her cries because it's heart-breaking, but he can't. But he's not leaving her either, not when she needs him. He just holds her, both of them weakly comforting each other for their freshest loss.

..

 _The next day_

She doesn't know what is it. She feels so..guilty. All Derek wanted was to help her, and now he's dead. And that weighed on her mind _all_ night, she tossed and turned all night with nightmares and tears and just plain dark thoughts.

She drives Scott and Isaac to school today, trying to take her mind off everything bad. Then she finds herself wanting to go to the Sheriff's station next.

She doesn't know what she's going to say, she has _no_ idea. But she's going to at least try, for Derek's sake. She cared about him, she still does. And the way Derek started to let his guard down around her, trust her, treated her like she was pack, like she was family..he deserved better. So Ash is going to try help with that.

But she's got alot on her mind, she still thinks she should just keep quiet about her father, noone else has confronted her about it so her best guess is that Derek never got the chance to tell anyone. But that hurt that Ash feels from losing Derek..maybe coming clean about her Dad like he said is how she makes up for that.

Ash sits back in her car for a moment, watching as Isaac and Scott go over to Stiles' Jeep. Stiles gets out and the three males greet each other. Scott pulls Stiles into a whole-hearted hug, seeing how wrecked and exhausted Stiles is. He spent the night at the hospital with his Dad and Jessie stayed with them too. Stiles stayed up most of the night with Jessie, comforting the girl that was a crying mess after losing her big brother that she adores so much.

The bell rings and the three teenaged boys head towards the entrance, along with all the other kids, some more excited than others, some dragging their feet.

Ash takes a moment, letting out a sad sigh and resting her head on the steering wheel. Her mind keeps replaying her last conversation with Derek. She sees him trying to help her. And the hardest part? She sees him kissing her, _showing_ her why he had to do this, why he had to go after Rafael.

She squeezes her eyes shut, trying to forget the way his lips felt againist her's before she makes herself cry again. Ash has no idea what to do.

There's pros and cons to coming clean and to keeping it to herself. She's worried about how far her father would go to cover it up, especially if Ash tried to report it. Rafael hurt her, he _beat_ her, Ash doesn't think he wouldn't turn dirty to hide the truth, and to protect his career and chances of him and Danielle taking guardianship of Jade. She just doesn't know how far this will go, or how far she'll let it go. She wants to protect her family from all of this, from the truth especially. She knows how Scott's going to feel if she tells him what really happened to her that night. He's going to blame himself, he's going to be mad, he's going to be upset. Ash knows this because it's _exactly_ how she would feel if it had happened to Scott instead of her.

Ash rubs her hands through her hair anxiously before leaning back in her seat. She exhales through her nose softly before reaching for her keys in the ignition. She starts her car back up, the low rumble coming to life with it. She puts the car into drive and she's about to pull out of the school parking lot when she gets a fright by a bang right by her head.

She looks to her left to see a bloody handprint againist her window. She frowns, reaching into her boot for her concealed boot knife. She puts he car in park again before she opens the door slowly only to see somebody on the ground. She quickly puts her knife away and scrambles out of her car, rushing over to them.

"Are you okay? Hey? Dude? Can you.." She trails off once she's kneeled down beside the person and can see their face. A unbelieved sound passes her lips, her stomach exploding with something she can't explain as her eyes widen.

" _Derek_?"

..

..

 **Of course he's alright :) If you've seen the show, I think you know what's coming next ;) As I've mentioned, Jiles/Stessie (Stiles x Jessie) is a much more openly emotion-sharing relationship compared to what's going to be between Dash (Derek x Ash). Favourite, follow and review!**


	27. Swift Metamorphose

**Smut warning! This is probably the smuttiest I'm going to go because I'm iffy about writing it, but for this chapter, it needed it. It's nothing too crazily detailed though.**

 **By the way, this fic now has the most reviews of my fics on this account so thanks for the support everyone!**

 **Shout out to:**

 ***Serena Sterling: Hehe ;) You're very welcome and thank you!**

 ***Tesla424: He is no good, isn't he? I don't know if Jacob will stick around but he is in town for a couple more days so it's possible they run into each other again. Yes, poor them, scaring the hell out of them! Hehe!**

 ***Maxine Hale: You'll see :P Here's the update, nice and quick for you!**

 ***TheHungryRainbow: Dash for the win! And yes!**

 **And, I don't know how many of you have read my 'Supernatural' fic from my other account with the Derek x Ashlee pairing, or how many of you watch the show, but I was thinking of maybe doing a 15-20-ish chapter fic based off the that show but it's the Teen Wolf pack, but as humans, being the ones solving them instead of the Winchesters. Would you read that? Yes? No? Let me know!**

 **..**

"Derek?" Ash says, moving closer to him, in a state of shock. He turns to look at her with half-open eyes, blood staining his shirt from his wounds. It's obvious they meant for the fall to kill him, most probably thought it did. But they underestimated the strength of the alpha, his raw power, they underestimated his stubborn perseverance.

Ash intends to touch him but her hands hesitate, seeing the blood and the teared wounds across the alpha's torso, from the fighting and the steep fall off the look-out cliff. Ash is just wide-eyed, she can't believe this. She mourned him last night, she can admit she cried and cried, and it hurt like hell. But he's _here_ , right in front of her. He's here, he's not dead. He's okay, he's here.

"I have to get you out of here." She says, her heart racing in her throat. "You gotta help me out a little, Derek, c'mon." She pleads.

Derek grunts in pain as she helps him, more drags him, to his feet. She's still hurting too from her own wounds and she doesn't have wolf strength, this is diffcult for her. That and she's practically shaking because of the shock.

She leans him againist the car, able to move him to the passenger seat with a little less trouble. Once he's inside, she glances around to make sure noone saw her take a half-dead man into her car. She gets in the driver's seat and peels off, out of the school carpark and towards the loft complex.

She's driving far too fast but she doesn't care. Her hands are shaking but she doesn't care. There's a few tears staining her cheeks because she's so twisted up with shock and fear that this isn't real, but she doesn't care. She thought he was dead, she thought she'd lost another person she cares about..but she hasn't. He's here but he's dying, she doesn't really care about road laws and speed limits right now. She _needs_ to save him, she's not losing Derek too.

"I-I have a first aid kit at my loft, I'm taking you there." Ash tells him in a shaky voice, trying to keep a cool head and think logically but it's difficult. Ash glances at the slowly black-blood-bleeding-out male in her passenger seat.

Derek looks at her with a little disapproval at the words 'first aid kit'.

"I know, ' _you're the big bad wolf and you can heal on your own_ ', but honestly, Derek..you look like you're going to die. I thought you did die, I don't understand how you're not dead." She says with some panic. She's still shocked that she found him, well that he found her. She's just feeling quite frazzled and unsettled right now. Scott said he was dead, dead is _dead_. But he's _not_ dead.

"Fine." He nods in agreement.

"Just..just stay with me, okay?" Ash says, taking one of his hands in her own. Derek nods, swallowing painfully and squeezing her hand.

..

Ash manages, with _alot_ of struggle, to get him up the stairs and into her loft. It's a little easier to get him up the stairs and to her room though, because of the hand-railing.

"Sorry." She cringes when she all but drops him on her bed. He's alot for her to carry, it isn't her fault. "I'll get the-"

"No." Derek catches her arm, stopping her from getting her first aid kit from under her bathroom sink. She looks over at him, seeing the wounds are slowly trying to heal. "I..I think I'm okay." He says, sounding a little pained but it's understandable, he's practically torn to shreds. "I can heal myself now, I'm okay." He says.

Ash nods. She goes to sit down beside him but in the blink of an eye, she's got her arms wrapped around him, hugging him, kneeling down between his legs on the floor.

"Jesus Christ, Derek, you scared the _shit_ out of me." Ash admits, shutting her eyes and just letting the feel of him being _right here_ calm her down.

"I know. But I'm still here." He says, his arms coming around her as well.

"I don't understand how, Scott said you..he was sure." Ash says, pulling back to look at his face.

"I almost was." Derek admits. "After a few hours of slowly healing, I was able to get out of there." He says.

"Shit." She says, smiling stressfully and rests her head on his shoulder gently, hugging around his large frame again. "I really thought you were dead." She says.

"I'm still here." He says again, letting _himself_ calm in _her_ embrace.

"I know." She says, pulling back from his shouldler to lean her forehead againist his. Like at the hospital, she feels the moment become alot more intimate. Derek doesn't say anything, and Ash doesn't pull away. "I know." She says again. Her hand comes up to gently touch his cheek, under a small gash that's healing over. "Does it hurt?" She asks him quietly.

"No." He shakes his head againist her's, speaking as quiet as she did.

They stay like that for a few _long_ seconds, in silence.

Until Derek has to do it again, he _has_ too. They're so close, their noses are brushing up againist each other's. He just has too. He has to see if she feels the same way considering he didn't give her any time to indicate whether she was okay with him kissing her at the hospital or not.

He closes the space between them, kissing her again, softly.

When he pulls back and searches her oceanic eyes for a reaction, she leans back in and kisses his lips feather lightly, her fingers gingerly holding his chin.

"I'm happy you're still here." She whispers, pulling back by a hair's breadth.

Derek's finger slip under her chin, as he looks at her. Ash looks back at him. Both of them _waiting_ for..they're not exactly sure what, just _something_.

It's Derek that comes in again, capturing her lips in his with more life than before. Ash's hands come to hold his face as she kisses him back, Derek's hand comes to the nape of her neck and the other softly threads into her dark, velvet-like hair.

As their kiss deepens, Ash moves closer to him, her hands gripping him tighter as his hands slide down to her waist so he can hold her closer. It isn't long before Ash finds herself in his lap and he pulls her even closer to him so they can lock lips easier.

Ash runs her hands down his chest until they reach the hem of his shirt. She grasps it, the two of them pulling apart long enough for Ash to peel his shirt off over his head, still being mindful of his teared up chest that's slowly rekindling together.

Derek's hands find the bottom of her singlet as well. When she nods her permission, they pull apart again so he can pull it off over her head, dropping it to the ground where Ash left his.

They're both careful of each other's healing bodies, Derek's especially careful of her ribs that are still bruised as his hands run down her slim body.

When she reaches for his belt and he reaches for her jeans zipper, they're both well aware of where this is heading, but neither objects or makes an attempt to stop it, because they don't want too.

They undress each other completely, Derek's wounds healing over almost completely.

Derek stands up, taking Ash with him, supporting her weight as he lifts her up so her legs wrap around his hips. He lays the girl down on her bed but they're still in a tangled mess of limbs and lips. When he looks down, he pauses, seeing the flash of silver. Ash sees what he's looking out and a blush crawls up her neck, spreading across her cheeks.

When she was 18, she got her nipple pierced, her little way of celebrating that she was an adult.

The tattoo that his eyes fall to next was the last part of her 'celebration into adulthood'.

It's nothing extreme, not like the angel wings on her back.

His fingers trace over the word tattooed in beautifully messy lettering over her hipbone, just under her jeanline.

 _McCall_

Derek looks up at her and Ash almost frowns, thinking he's regretting this and wants to stop. But she's wrong. He can't help but admire how much that font reflects her as a person. A beautiful mess. It's not the most graceful way to describe a person, but it's the truth. It's the truth for them both, they're both beautiful, loyal messes. And there's nothing wrong with that.

He takes her lips into his again, rolling them over so he's on top of her. Ash starts to kiss along his jaw.

Ash gasps softly againist his neck, gripping the nape of his neck, when he pushes into her.

She's only ever been with one person, Jacob. Derek can feel that in the way she stretches but he doesn't mind, not one bit. He goes slow at first, letting her get used to him. And it's been awhile for him as well so the slowness is as much for her as it is for him too.

That boyfriend may have been the only one she's been intimate with but that was also 2 whole years ago. With everything going on with her family, a boyfriend or need to have relations wasn't important.

And Derek, since Kate, he's wanted nothing to do with woman or being in a relationship. He may seem fearless, but the hurt that happened to him and his family, he's _terrified_ of it happening again. But he knows Ash, he knows she's lost alot too. He knows she's not like Kate, just like Ash knows Derek's not like Jacob. He knows she'd _never_ hurt his family like Kate did, Ash is like a big sister to Jessie, and Peter..well, that's another story for another day.

He settles into a quicker pace after a little while, still able to feel that tightness but it's better for them both now. Ash can't even kiss him for more than a second before she's just moaning in his mouth, slowly getting used to the feeling of sex again. But he's not complaining, it's driving his wolf crazy. That and her goddamn nipple piercing, which he gives some special attention to as well.

Ash drags her nails down his back and digs them in without meaning too, she can't help it, when he finds and hits her spot, earning him an appreciative moan as well. But the red marks heal over and fade within seconds anyway.

One minute, it was just a kiss. The next, they're in her bed, Ash underneth him, bodies pressed together, touching and tasting and moaning their way to a blissful satisfaction.

..

The mid-morning sun spills through the window and over their bodies that are half-concealed by the red and black comforter that lay upon Ash's bed.

Derek lays awake in her bed, on his back. Ash, still asleep, lays with her head over his breastbone, her cheeks pressed againist his collarbone.

Derek finds himself looking up at the window, just out at the sky, lazily. His hand runs up and down Ash's arm gently, that's what lulled her to sleep in the first place.

When Ash moves a little, Derek looks down at her. Her hand that's resting on the side of his neck flexes a little as well. But, other than that, the girl stays asleep.

He brushes her long, silky, black hair out of her face and tucks it behind her ear as when she breathed in and out her nose, there was a few strands of hair that would float up, then down, then up, then down, with it, and it kept distracting Derek.

She stirs a little more and Derek pauses, wondering if she'll wake back up again. But she doesn't. She only curls a little closer to him, tucking her head between his shoulder and neck. She's too warm, too _comfortable_ , to wake up just yet.

Derek _knows_ he should get up.

Derek _knows_ he should go and show the pack that he's alive.

But his body has other plans, completely ignoring his mind's orders.

He turns his head and rests it againist her hair, that pleasantly smells of strawberries while the rest of her still smells of Malboro cigarettes and lavender, as per usual. Blinking soon becomes more of a chore until his eyes slowly shut and stay closed, the alpha falling asleep too.

..

Ash wakes up hours later, blinking slowly as the afternoon sun is shining through the window, over them both, keeping them warm.

She looks up at Derek's face and he's still sleeping. She admires him for a moment, noticing how he looks peaceful right now, alot more so that usual, like at the hospital when he stayed at her bedside.

She lays there for a moment, his arm now slung over her hip, just thinking about the crazy that's been her life for the last couple months. All the death, the violence, being scared, being beaten, her father, her little sister, Derek. It's been..there's no other word for it except _crazy_.

It isn't long before she has the same thoughts Derek had in his previous consciousness.

 _She has to get up_

Ash sighs at the realisation but obides, carefully sitting up, being careful not to wake Derek yet. She gently grasps his wrist and moves his arm off her before slipping away from the wolf and out of her bed. She tiptoes into her bathroom, shutting the door slowly with a quiet click.

Of course, Derek wakes up when he feels her move and touch him, but he doesn't interrupt her routine and just allows her to get up without any fuss or interruption.

His eyes open and the sound of running water fills his ears as Ash steps under the hot spray of the shower.

Ash leans her head againist the wall, just letting the hot water pour over her hair and down her body, keeping her red cast up out of the shower's drizzle. She really didn't expect what happened earlier to happen, she really didn't expect it to go that far, she's surprised. But she's not going to say she regrets it, because she doesn't. Neither does he.

Derek gets out of the bed, pulling the blanket back up so it's made to a degree. He gets dressed, pulling his jeans back on and buckling his belt again.

Ash walks out of the bathroom, wrapped in a fluffy peach-coloured towel, as he's pulling his shirt back on.

Derek turns around and looks at her, giving her a small smile. Ash returns it and there's a silence between them as neither of them really know what to say after what happened between them.

Derek sits down on the end of her bed and looks up at her again.

Ash nods and walks over, sitting down beside him, the silence still hanging between them. But it's not an uncomfortable silence like it has been before.

It's quiet for a minute.

Ash picks at her nails so she has something to do with her hands while Derek picks at a thread on his jeans. He decides he should probably be the one to say something first so he turns to her, making her notice and look at him, meeting his eyes.

"Thanks for helping me. You could have left me there..but you didn't." He says. Ash nods.

"I'm really glad you're okay, Derek." Ash says sincerely, her eyes travelling from his emerald eyes down to his 5 o'clock shadow and back. Derek's green orbs lock with her turquiose ones. And he can tell she being sincere, she really is glad he's okay. That makes him feel a warmth in the centre of his chest that he rarely gets to feel anymore.

"Yeah." He nods. His eyes travel over her face too. The few cuts, now healed to scratches, along her face, her cheek. The deeper wound over her eyebrow. The healing split on the edge of her bottom lip. His eyes drop down to her cast, he knows there's alot of healing to do underneth that red fabric. And then to her towel where he knows there's dark purple and yellow marks where the bruisng is still quite evident over her ribs. He looks back up at her, locking eyes with her again.

"Did I hurt you?" He asks her. Her wounds don't heal as quickly as his do, they still haven't healed, he tried to remember that.

"No." Ash says, shaking her head. He was gentle, careful of her bruised ribs and scratched up face. And even is he wasn't, she was too busy with other _sensations_ to care. But even if it wasn't the first thing on his mind, which it obviously wasn't in that situation, he still had it back there so he knew.

"I should call the others, tell them I'm okay." He decides, standing up.

"Yeah, you should." Ash nods in agreement. "Jessie was really broken up about it. Maybe you should go see her first, she's at the hospital with Stiles." Ash tells him.

"Yeah, I will." He nods. "I'll see you later then." He says. Ash nods with a small smile. But he doesn't leave just yet, they just keep looking at each other. Derek doesn't want to just walk out like what happened earlier didn't happen. So, he leans down and drops a soft kiss to her lips. Ash has about a second to purse her own lips before the alpha pulls back again. He meets her eyes for a moment, to see if she was okay with that, before he turns around, ready to leave and find his grieving sister.

But Ash catches his hand with her's, stopping his departure. He turns back to face her. By the look on her face, he knows what she's going to say, he was waiting for this to come up but didn't want to ruin things by bringing it up. But it can't exactly be ignored either.

"Are you gonna tell Scott?" She asks him. "About my Dad?" It's quiet for a few seconds as he thinks over his decision. Ash just watches him, looking in his eyes like she'll get her answer faster by trying to read it off him. Derek shakes his head as his answer, deciding he's not going to go to Scott.

"As much as I hate to admit it, you were right about your father." Derek says. "We can't just barge in there and hurt him..it has to be smarter than that. And it's not my secret to tell, it's your's. When Scott gets home, just tell him, Ash. We'll figure something out from there. But I promise you, he's not taking Jade, and he's never gonna hurt you again." Derek assures her.

"Thank you." Ash says, squeezing his hand in her's.

"Just don't make me regret keeping my mouth shut." He says because he still wants to rip the man's throat out. But, he knows this isn't exactly _his_ business and it certainly isn't his news to tell anyone, it's Ash's.

"You won't. It's better this way, trust me." She says. "I'm gonna figure it out, find a way to do this without it getting loud and hurting my family, alright?" She says. Derek nods.

"Can you promise me you'll tell Scott?" He asks. Ash looks down and after a few long moments, she nods. "I know it'll be hard for you, but it's what's best for you and your family."

"I know." Ash nods.

"Good." He says. "Okay, I should go see Jessie." Derek says. Ash nods and squeezes his hand as he walks away. Their hands come apart, dropping to their sides, as he gets too far away.

Ash watches him leave. And when she knows he's gone out the front door, she blows out a long breath and leans back so she can lay on her back on the bed.

She has no idea what happens now. Neither does Derek. No, things don't stay the same between them, but that doesn't mean they have any idea where things go now either. And what the hell's going to happen when Ash reveals her secret to Scott? _If_ she does? What's going to happen if someone finds out they slept together?

Derek walks back into his own loft, rubbing his hands down his face, wiping his sleepiness away. Isaac's at school, but Peter's here, he can hear the older Hale's heartbeat. He'd prefer to have the loft alone right now, he needs some quiet thinking time. But no, Peter's here. Which guarantees there won't be quiet, and that non-quiet will consist of at _least_ one snarky remark.

"Derek?" Peter says with some surprise when he sees his nephew walk in the door. Peter went back to the scene of the crime and found Derek was gone, he just hoped it was Derek that pulled himself up off the ground and not those _dogs_ , or whatever the hell they were.

Turns out, Peter was right about Derek getting up, because here he is, right in front of him and in one piece too.

He walks over to Derek, but pauses, frowning once he's inhaled and caught a particular scent, one he could have gone without smelling in fact. Derek see his Uncle's face screw up slightly. It clicks for Derek as he realises what it is his Uncle's trained werewolf nose is smelling.

Peter stops in his tracks and the two men look at each other. Derek just hopes Peter won't comment on the distinct smell. But, of course, Peter has to say something about it, he can't help but sticks his nose, _literally_ , where it doesn't belong.

"Derek..what have you done?" Peter asks him. Derek looks down, knowing he's been caught _completely_ red-handed, with no chance of lying or talking his way out of the truth.

"I found Ash at the school, she helped me get out of there alive." Derek admits. "If she didn't help me..I'd be dead." He says, trying to put what happened between them into better words, less _blunt_ words.

"I think she did more than help you." Peter points out, raising an eyebrow.

"I don't need a lecture." Derek sighs, not in the mood, or willing, to have a 'talk' with his Uncle. What him and Ash do isn't any of Peter's business, or anyone else's actually, it's _their's_.

"No, you need to shower. Her scent's all over you." Peter says, his experienced wolf nose becoming overwhelmed with the mixed scents of Derek and Ash that's staining his nephew.

Derek nods and goes over to his bedroom so he can shower.

"Derek." Peter says. Derek stops, but doesn't turn to face his Uncle because he has an idea of what Peter's going to say anyway. "You know that's never gonna work out, right? You and Ash, it just doesn't click, especially not with everything else that's going on right now. You don't need another distraction." He says.

"That's what you think she is?" Derek asks him, still with his back turned to the older man. Hell, Derek's not sure what she is to him, but 'distraction', in Derek's book, doesn't describe Ash. Distract _ing_ , maybe, but not a distract _ion_.

"That's what I _know_ she is. And trust me, you do _not_ need another distraction. You need to focus. Focus on the things that are _killing_ people, Derek, the things that almost killed _you_. Be a goddamn alpha." He lectures.

Derek takes a moment to think over his words.

"I'd appreciate it if you kept this to yourself." He says before he keeps walking. But he stops again, looking over his shoulder to look at his Uncle now, his green eyes meeting the older man's blue ones. "And for _your_ own good, your opinion as well." He adds in subtle warning, going into his bedroom. Because noone tells him what he can and can't do or who he can and can't see.

..

This feels all wrong to Ash. She just went grocery shopping, she's packing the brown paper bags into her car right now. She's spent all afternoon in her head, thinking, _brooding_ , she barely paid attention to her hands as they grabbed cans and packets of the shelves and put them into the trolley, she's just so used to shopping for all 3 of her family instead of just herself now.

But with all this supernatural trouble and family dramas, grocery shopping seems too _normal_ , too..out of place. But her and her family still have to eat.

"Ash." Ash slams her door shut, a vicious scowl tainting her features when she hears a familiar voice, a _disgustingly_ familiar voice that makes Ash's blood boil.

"You better have a good reason for coming _anywhere_ near me." Ash says, turning to face the older blonde before her.

"Rafael told me what happened, I just wanted to make sure you were okay." Danielle says, and she almost sounds sincere.

"What? He told you he beat me? Broke my wrist?" Ash asks her in an angry voice, not believing this woman had the stones to come up to her with genuine worry and sincerity.

"Yeah." Danielle nods. "But you have to understand, he's just protecting his family." She says. Ash's mouth literally falls open.

"Are you mentally ill?" She asks the woman, her face screwing up. "He was trying to _steal_ from my _dead_ mother. He could have killed me, and he wouldn't have cared." Ash stresses. "If you have half a brain, you'll pack your shit and get as far away from him as you can." Ash says, turning around again.

"He didn't do anything wrong. You shouldn't have spoken to him the way you did." Danielle says. Ash pauses, slowly turning around to face her again.

"There's something wrong with you, isn't there?" Ash asks her seriously. It's either that or she just has _no_ heart.

"No." Danielle objects. "I just know a selfish brat when I see one." She says. Ash's nostrils flare angerily. All she wants to do to find another skateboard and beat her into a pulp, but she knows she can't do that.

"You're a despicable woman." Ash says to her. "Stay out of my family's business." She says, opening the door to her car. But the woman catches it, stopping her exit.

"Or what? You gonna hit me in the face with another skateboard?" She asks mockingly. "Or maybe you'll ask Scott to do it for you? Or one of those other men that seem to hang around you like barflies, huh?" Danielle taunts her, having seen the pack together before. "I'm sure the older one could do some damage. Beautiful green eyes, too pretty to be a killer though." Danielle says, and Ash knows exactly who she's talking about.

Ash slams her car door shut, stepping right into Danielle's personal space so she's nose to nose with the woman she's come to hate as much as she hates her father.

"I don't need Derek, or _any_ of them, to handle my shit. I can do that myself." She warns her, staring her dead in the eye. "This is my last warning, you stay the hell away from my family." Ash says.

"It's not going to be your family for much longer, not when we take them away." Danielle says. Ash bites the inside of her cheek, holding back the coupious amounts of anger building up inside of her.

"Yeah, we'll see about that." Ash says. This time when she opens the car door, Danielle doesn't stop her. "Devious bitch." Ash says to her from her open window. She gives Danielle time to react negativity, maybe a little bit so Ash can retaliate and have it look like self defense. It's bad, but Danielle, like Rafael, have crossed the line by attacking her family with custody threats.

When Danielle just keeps looking at the younger woman, Ash peels out onto the parking lot, her V8 engine roaring loudly as she does.

..

"Jessie? Jess?" Stiles wakes her by gently shaking her. He's still processing who just walked in the door but he's pushed that to the side because he knows Jessie's going to be happy. And that's what he wants, her to be happy, hopefully with him too.

"Go away." Jessie says flatly as she wakes, not turning to look at Stiles. She feels so deflatted.

John learnt what her relationship with his son was last night, well, he saw them kiss and figured it out easily enough.

"Sweetheart, there's someone here to see you." John says to her. She sits in a chair beside Stiles, her head on the end of John's bed how she fell asleep. "Jessie?" He says, touching her back.

"Well." Jessie says, pulling herself up. "Tell them to get.." She trails off when instead of a doctor or nurse like she thought, she sees those warmly familiar emerald eyes. "Derek?!" She practically jumps over Stiles and John to collide into her brother, hugging him tightly. She's in tears again, but they're happy tears. Derek hugs her back, there's nothing awkward about it like when Jessie first got off the plane to come home.

"I said I'd always be here, didn't I?" He says. Jessie pulls back with a smile and tears down her face. Then she balls her fist up and punches him as hard as she can in the arm. If Derek wasn't a werewolf, that would have hurt.

"You asshole." She says but it holds no malice or anything. "I thought you were dead." She sighs before hugging him again, gripping him tightly.

"No, I'm okay, I'm right here." He assures her. He gives the Sheriff an awkward half-smile, genuinely happy to see he's awake and okay.

His eyes fall to Stiles. John looks between Derek and Stiles, unsure if Derek's aware of Jessie and Stiles' relationship. Derek looks Stiles in the eye and gives him a thankful nod, for looking after his sister, for keeping her with him and for keeping her safe while he was gone. That means something to Derek, that means alot to Derek.

"If you do that again, I'll kill you." Jessie says, even though that doesn't make sense, especially since him dying would destroy her like it was starting too.

"I'm not going anywhere, Jess." Derek promises her, feeling her hug him even tighter, that desperation and anxiety she felt finally slipping away.

John and Stiles watch the two siblings, not really having seen this side of them, especially not of Derek. John lays his hand on Stiles shoulder, squeezing gently. Stiles turns to his father, giving him a soft smile, happy things are starting to turn around and work out for the pack for once.

..

..

 **Of course Derek's okay ;) Another secret needs to be revealed next chapter too! Now, you know me, usually I make them wait months before diving into the sack together, but this time it just felt right to do it this way, to use this part from the tv show. She was so relieved he was okay, and he wanted her to know how he felt and if she felt the same way then..you know the rest :) And if you can, yes or no to the little 'Supernatural' and 'Teen Wolf' fic? Favourite, follow and review!**


	28. Revelator

**Shout out to:**

 ***Serena Sterling: Finally, yay! Peter will muddle with them a little, Derek spefically. But yes, you should do that :P Yes, I think I will do the Supernatural fic :)**

 ***Tesla424: It did take forever! I'm glad you liked it :) I like the new name for her because she is a huge bitch!**

 **..**

That evening, the pack regroup. Everyone's happy to see Derek's okay. Stiles, understandably, stays at the hospital with his Dad. Jessie comes back with Derek, sneaking Stiles a goodbye kiss that John sees but Derek doesn't.

Scott hugs Derek again and the alpha still tenses up a little. He knew they'd be surprised he was alive and okay but he didn't expect the bundle of hugs he recieved. Scott's the worst of them, squeezing him and clapping his back. But it's sincere, he's just happy his alpha's alive.

"I'm sorry, man." Scott says, letting him go as the pack, aside Stiles, sit down in the living room in Derek's loft. Derek just brushes it off though, he knows Scott's just relieved, it's just strange for Derek to receive that kind of.. _appreciation_. "I still just can't believe you're actually alive, I mean, I thought you were dead." The younger wolf says.

It's okay." Derek nods. "I bumped into Ash, she helped me." Derek says.

Ash looks over at him, meeting his eyes for a second before quickly looking away again.

Peter coughs a little, feeling that unspoken bond between the two of them.

"How'd you manage to fix him up?" Jessie asks her.

It's Derek that looks at her now. Ash opens her mouth but clams up, not sure what lie to tell.

"I just needed someplace safe to rest and heal." Derek answers for her, seeing Ash is a little flustered. And that's not really a lie anyway.

"Well, thank you." Jessie says, giving Ash a grateful smile and squeezing her hand.

Ash gives her a small awkward smile back because she knows Jessie has _no_ idea that 'help' included her and Derek screwing each other's brains out.

"No problem." Ash says. Jessie lets her go and turns back to the pack.

Derek meets Ash's eyes again, the two looking at each other for a moment before they both look away.

"I didn't really get to see them, did you?" Scott asks Derek. "The things that attacked you."

"Yeah." Derek nods. "I found them in the woods, I was cutting through to.." He doesn't finish his sentence because he told Ash he'd keep her secret, for now. "They were dogs."

" _Were_?" Jessie questions.

"Yeah." Derek nods. "Were. Until they weren't."

"Shapeshifters?" Scott asks.

"Yeah." Derek nods again.

"What kind of shifter turns into a dog, not a wolf?" Stiles asks. "A were-dog?" He asks.

Derek rolls his eyes at the younger male's unintelligable guess.

Peter's about to answer, since he knows more about the mythology than anyone else. But, surprisingly, it's Jessie that answers him.

"One that hasn't been around in a _long_ time." Jessie says. "My Mom..she used to tell me about them, like a bedtime story." She recalls, frowning at the memory she'll never get to live again. "They're just human until they put on a dog pelt, but very strong too, like werewolves when they're in their human form."

"How do they shift?" Isaac asks. "It took a bite for one of us to get that, the influence of the moon and our own emotions." He says.

"I don't know all the details, but the pelt usually has magical properties. That, or whoever these people are have been playing with black magic." Derek says.

" _Magic_?" Ash questions.

"Yeah, magic." Derek nods, knowing it sounds absurd. Yes, there's werewolves and kanimas but magic? _Magic_? That seems a little..more far-fetched than they're used too.

"It's really not as hocus pocus as you think." Jessie says to her. "More like hoodoo and witchcraft, that sort of thing."

"Uh..was that supposed to be comforting?" Scott asks her, unsure how they were supposed to take that.

"Um, I..I'm not actually sure." Jessie says.

"Well, how do we kill these things? How do we track them?" Ash asks. She needs these things, human or animal, she doesn't care, to die for what they've done to her mother and other innocent people of this town, ones like John, and for what they did to Derek.

"That, we don't know." Peter says. Ash frowns, that isn't what she wanted to hear. "All we know is myth, legends and a few stories we've heard from Tahlia." Peter says, gesturing to himself, Jessie and Derek.

Both Jessie and Derek look down at the mention of their beloved mother's name.

"We're going to have to do this properly." Peter says.

"And by that you mean.." Stiles says.

"Research, idiot." Peter deadpans.

Jessie looks at Peter with narrowed eyes because Stiles is _not_ an idiot. He's _not_ stupid, and he'll prove that with this research thing.

"He's right, we need to hit the books." Derek says. "Find anything we can about them."

"What are they called?" Ash asks. Derek and Jessie share a look and Jessie nods.

"They're Skinwalkers." Derek tells her.

"Wait.." Stiles says. "I think I read a little bit about them." He says. "They're not friendly."

"No, not at all." Derek says. "And I don't know why they're here, or why they're doing this." He admits.

"It could be anything." Peter says. "They could want this town as their own, they could want to recruit and make their pack bigger, we don't know yet."

"But..at least this is a start, right?" Ash says, seeing how disappointed everyone is with the lack of information.

"Yeah." Peter nods.

It falls quiet and Scott looks around the room at the fallen faces of each wolf and human. They don't blame Derek or anyone for the little knowledge they have, but it does make them feel not as confident, only knowing they're vicious, strong shapeshifters with an unknown motive.

"Well.." Scott says, breaking the silence. He can see the pack just wishes they could do something other than research about this now. "Ash has her court hearing tomorrow morning." Scott says.

Then all eyes fall to Ash. With everything that's been going on, it's slipped their minds. She drops her gaze from them, feeling awkward with all the sudden attention.

"Really? It's been 5 days already?" Stiles asks.

"Yeah." Ash nods.

They still look at her expectantly, for an elaboration.

"I'm um..requesting his guardianship application to be denied." Ash says.

Her's and Derek's eyes meet for a quick moment.

"Hopefully, that goes well and then I can apply to become Jade's, and probably Scott's guardian too." Ash tells them.

"I'm there." Stiles says. Ash looks at him. "I'm coming."

"So am I, I wanna be there." Jessie says. Ash opens her mouth to object.

"Yeah..me too." Isaac say. Ash sighs, she can tell they just want to support her.

"We need some win, Ash. We're all coming." Scott tells her.

"All of us." Derek says with a nod.

A smile comes to Ash's face.

"Okay." Ash nods. "You can all come." She agrees. She will admit, she's grateful to have a group of people, wolf and human, that give a crap about her and her family.

"What about Jade?" Jessie asks since the young girl still isn't back from Hailey's. "Is she going to stay with you Aunt until after the trial?"

"No, she'll be there too. Our Aunt and Uncle are making the drive down with her early tomorrow morning." Ash tells her.

"Hey, don't fret about it." Scott tells her, able to sense her worry. "You're gonna win this." He says, squeezing her knee. Ash gives him a small smile, putting her hand over his.

"Yeah. Yeah, I really hope so." Ash says, a little nervous for tomorrow. "Well..we should start researching." She changes the subject back to the matter at hand. Derek nods.

"Come on, boys. I'll show you the library." Jessie says, standing up. Scott, Stiles and Isaac get up to go with Jessie, but Ash stays sitting.

"Library?" Ash asks, looking up at Derek.

"Yeah, where we keep all the books we salvaged from the fire, and some from the vault." Derek says to her.

Ash nods but she stays sitting still, looking into her lap.

"You should go with them." Derek says, turning his head to look at Peter. Peter just looks at Derek but the alpha raises his eyebrows. Peter gets up, pausing behind Derek.

"Remember what I said to you, Derek." Peter says, only loud enough for Derek to hear, not that Ash is paying attention, she's lost in her own thoughts.

"Yeah, and you remember what I said." Derek shoots back without missing a beat, staring his Uncle down.

Peter walks away, going up the stairs as well.

Peter can see where this is going, how it's going to change Derek. Peter thinks his nephew is soft enough already, he doesn't need a girl making him even softer. Peter remembers being the alpha, being _strong_ , heartless. That's what you need to be, not what Derek is. He has a pack of teenagers, ones he treats like family, he's got some girl falling for him now, along with her kid sister. Peter knows this can only go bad. Derek _needs_ to be a ruthless, malicious alpha, especially if he hopes to take down these Skinwalkers.

When Derek knows Peter's out of earshot, he turns to look at Ash. Ash can feel him looking at her but she doesn't know what to say just yet.

"I.." She says after a few long moments of silence. "I need to do some research of my own." She says, looking up to meet Derek's eyes.

"Everything okay?" He asks her.

"Yeah." She nods. Derek keeps looking at her because he didn't believe that at all. "No..not really." She admits, shaking her head. "I just..I just need to read some things, for court tomorrow." She tells him.

If things go south, Ash may only have one choice. And she needs to know what she's doing before she goes through with that. She needs to prepare for it to backfire, she needs to prepare to have her family protected if the worst happens, if _he_ wins them.

"What's going on, Ash?" Derek asks her. Ash stands up.

"Don't be hard on Stiles, he's your best chance with the research." She says, turning around to walk out the door.

Derek stands up and catches her arm, but he does so gently, because he remembers when she told him never to grab her again, he remembers when she flinched under her father's hold. He never wants her to flinch away from him like that. He would never hurt her, and he wants her to know that.

"Derek, I have to go." Ash says.

"I know." He nods. "Just.." He struggles to find the motivating and supportive words he knows she needs to hear. So instead, he leans forward and kisses her with a gentle touch, hoping his actions will speak the volumes he wishes he could say out-loud.

"I know." Ash says when they pull back. She understands. "If I can, I'll do some research of my own at home." She promises him as he lets her go. Derek nods. Ash touches her hand to his chest, over his heart.

"What is it?" He asks her when she doesn't say anything or move.

"Just.." She sighs. "Thanks for not running away." She says.

"What?" He asks, slightly confused.

She doesn't explain herself, she's just happy she hasn't scared him off, that he's stayed even after getting..into her pants. It just all happened so fast that Ash had a little doubt that maybe he only wanted her for that reason, because she was willing to sleep with him. But it's not true, he's not using her. In fact, she's the first person, since Kate, that he's felt this sort of connection with. He's not running away. Not from this pack, and not from her. They still have alot to figure out, obviously, but the alpha is done running.

"Ash?" He says when she doesn't answer him.

"I'll see you later, Derek." She says with a small smile.

..

"You okay?" Stiles asks Jessie as they sit on the floor, side by side, books in their laps.

"Yeah, why?" Jessie asks him, glancing up at him for a moment before looking back down at the supernatural mythology book she was reading.

"I just know you were really cut up about Derek." Stiles says, reading from his own book.

"I know, but he's okay, so I'm okay." Jessie says. "Well..I'm getting there." She admits. Stiles looks at her. She sighs and looks up from her book, looking at Stiles. "I'm just still dealing with some of the shock, you know? What happened to your Dad, to Derek..I'm just worried." She says.

"I promise you, Jess, noone's gonna hurt you." Stiles says, taking one of her hands into both of his. "I won't let them." He says, pressing a soft kiss to her knuckles.

"That's sweet..but it isn't really me I'm worried about." She says with a soft smile.

"You remind me of Ash, like that. You've both got big hearts." Stiles says. He notices the soft smile that comes to Jessie's face. "What is it?" He asks her.

"Nothing, just..just this thing my Mom used to say." Jessie says.

"Tell me." Stiles says gently. Jessie looks up at him. "Please?"

"She used to that..the men protect the family but the woman have to look after it, look after the men, keep them happy and healthy, while the men keep them all safe. Like..like roles or something. I don't know..I always liked it." She says.

"I like it too." Stiles says. "Your Mom..she uh..she sounds wise."

"She was." Jessie nods. "Everyone respected her, you know? Everyone wanted to be in her good books. She was like Queen Alpha, everyone wanted her advice."

"I see where you get it from." Stiles says, making Jessie chuckle. Stiles kisses her hand again. Jessie smiles even more, she's come to really like how romantic Stiles is, she never thought she would like that sort of thing but she really does.

"Jessie?" Stiles and Jessie drop their hands to their own laps when they hear Derek's voice. "Hey, give me a minute." Derek says, looking at Jessie. Jessie glances at Stiles and then nods, standing up.

Stiles watches them walk away, hoping they're not about to have the conversation he fears they're going to have.

Scott sees the two Hale siblings leaving the room as well. He frowns and goes to take Jessie's spot beside Stiles.

"Everything alright?" Scott asks him.

"If I'm still breathing when he comes back into the room, yeah." Stiles nods, looking all kinds of nervous. Scott laughs a little and Stiles breaks too, chuckling.

"Let's just find what we can find about these things, alright? We'll deal with Derek chopping your balls off later." Scott teases. Stiles nudges him but he looks back down at his book again.

Jessie follows Derek down to the balcony. She fidgets a little, nervously, wondering what this is about. She just looks at him as he shuts the deck doors so it's just the two of them, private.

"What uh..what's this about?" Jessie asks, trying to keep cool-headed and not show her nervousness either.

"Listen..the three Skinwalkers, the ones I ran into, they know who you are." He tells her.

Part of Jessie is relieved, she thought this was about Stiles, Jesus, she's grateful it isn't about Stiles. But, on the other hand, _what the hell_?!

"What do you mean 'know me'?" Jessie asks.

"The one that shifted, he was the alpha, I think. He knows who you are, he knows you're my sister." Derek tells her. Jessie's eyes widen.

"Am I..am I in danger?" Jessie asks, frowning at what that could mean or possibly lead too.

"No, no, I'm gonna keep you safe, we all will, I promise." Derek assures her. "Just don't take off again, don't leave the loft alone, just..be careful, all the time, don't drop your guard at all." He says.

"Yeah, okay." Jessie nods, knowing it's safest for her to listen to Derek just this once.

It falls quiet between them. Derek has the words on the tip of his tounge but even with Jessie he's never been that good at letting his emotions out through words.

"What is it?" Jessie asks, seeing the half-constipated look on her brother's face, his troubled look.

"Just.. How you were, when you thought I died?" He says. "I'd be worse if it happened to you." He says. "I can't lose you, Jess. You're all I have left." He admits, averting his eyes to look down at his shoes, a little embarrassed but he still spoke the truth.

Jessie smiles shakily, feeling her eyes water. She blinks away any tears trying to form because she knows how hard it is for Derek to be so open and honest like that, let alone admit it all out-loud.

"You won't." She promises him. "I'm here, I'm not leaving again." She says. She stands up and leans into him, hugging around his torso. Derek hugs around her shoulders, sighing to relief from hearing her say that and her heart not jump.

..

Later on, Stiles and Jessie take a break from the books and go downstairs, digging into Jessie's cake stash.

"Stiles, you have cake all over your face." Jessie chuckles.

Stiles looks up from his deliciously over-iced chocolate cake. He looks over at Jessie and she's right. He's bitten into it and smoshed chocolate up his cheek and over his lip.

"Here?" Stiles asks, wiping at the wrong cheek.

"No." She chuckles even more now. "Hold on, I've got it." She says. She wipes her thumb over some of it. "Jesus, could you get anymore on there?" She asks. She puts her thumb in her mouth, sucking the chocolate off of it, making Stiles' eyes widen a little.

Jessie sees this and pauses, raising her eyebrows. Stiles swallows, not saying anything. Jessie leans forward, putting her lips to his cheek. Her tongue darts out, licking the rest of the chocolate icing away. She even, very kindly, gets the bit on the corner of his lip.

She pulls back with a smirk.

"There, you're all clean now." Jessie says, like she has no idea what she just did.

Stiles looks at her, then down at her lips. He grabs her face, smashing their lips together.

Jessie is surprised but definitely not objective as she kisses him back just as passionately. Both of them forget about the other people that are just upstairs, that could come down any second.

Jessie lets out a surprised yelp when Stiles lifts her up and her legs wrap around his waist. She just smiles though, kissing him again. Stiles backs up, ungracefully falling back onto the sofa with Jessie on top of him, but Jessie likes his clumsiness so she doesn't mind it when they almost fall onto the floor. The next sound to leave the girl's mouth is a soft moan as Stiles finds a sweet spot between her shoulder and neck with his mouth.

"Jessie? Stiles?" They both panic, hearing Scott's voice as he and Derek come down the stairs. Stiles flips them so fast, and jumps off of her, that he trips over the coffee table and falls onto the floor with a hard thud.

Derek and Scott stop at the bottom of the stairs, looking in their direction with confusion.

Stiles clenches his teeth so he doesn't cry out or show the pain he feels at the awful throb in his knee he now has from smashing it into the coffee table and then the floor. Bruising is going to be a definite.

Jessie just sits there, trying to look as innocent as she possibly can.

"Everything okay?" Derek asks, looking between the two teenagers.

"Yeah, everything's fine." Jessie says.

"Then what's he doing on the floor?" Derek asks, looking over at Stiles.

"He uh..he's just down there to.." Jessie, for the goddamn life of her, can not come up with a plausible lie.

"Uh..y-yeah." Stiles stutters, as the oldest wolf's eyes narrow accussively at him. "I uh..I was just..doing sit-ups, you know-"

"Yeah, I don't believe either of you." Derek stops Stiles. "What's going on here?" He asks, looking between them both.

Scott shuffles awkwardly, knowing there's no way out of this hole, some truth is going to have to spill over. Because Scott has a pretty good idea of what sort of things they would have been doing.

"Okay, I was.." Stiles struggles to come up with a good enough lie when Derek's looking at him like he knows _exactly_ what Stiles was just doing, it's _very_ intimidating.

"No, no, stop." Jessie shakes her head. She looks over at Stiles and nods.

He goes wide-eyed, realising what she's about to do. Yes, he wants her to do it, but he wished he had more warning, more time to prepare for this. It's about time Jessie and Stiles came clean.

"We've been seeing each other." Jessie says out-right, not actually wanting to say they were making out on the sofa.

It falls quiet. For a long time, too long for Jessie, or Stiles, to be comfortable with.

"Wait.. You and who?" Derek asks her, finally breaking the suffocating silence.

"Stiles." Jessie says.

" _That_ Stiles?" Derek asks, pointing to the human boy on the floor, not really able to believe it.

"Yes, Derek, that Stiles." Jessie nods. "For a week or two now." She says.

The alpha's gaze falls to Stiles and he shifts nervously under it. Derek exhales through his nose, unsure how to proceed. Part of him wants to get mad, yell, because they lied..but he's keeping his own thing with Ash under wraps so he can't really, that'd make him a hypocrite.

"Okay." Derek nods.

All eyes are on Derek, waiting for the explosive part of his realisation. But it never comes. And that actually makes them all more nervous than they would have been if the alpha just threw Stiles againist a wall and barked some threats, like expected.

"S-So.." Stiles says, feeling like he's on the thinnest of ice right now. "What happens now?" He asks.

"I don't know." Derek says honestly. Jessie's 18, of course she was going to have a boyfriend some day, Derek just didn't really expect _this_. "I'm gonna finish researching." He doesn't say anything else after that, just walks past them all and goes upstairs, going down to the library and shutting the door behind him.

"Dude.." Scott says, looking over at Stiles. "I think you broke him."

"Maybe I should go talk to him." Jessie says, getting off the sofa. "You two should go." Jessie says. Scott nods in agreement. Stiles gets to his feet, hobbling over to Jessie.

"I'll text you later." He says. Out of repsect for the alpha upstairs, Stiles kisses Jessie's cheek, not her lips. It's old school, but Stiles can be like that.

Jessie waits until both males are gone before she walks up the stairs. She goes down the hall, slipping into the library and shutting the door behind her.

"Derek?" Jessie says, walking through the rows of books slowly. She spots him, his nose in yet another book. She slips into the chair beside him. "Hey." She says.

"Hey." He says, putting the book down and giving her his attention.

"Are you okay?" Jessie asks him. "I mean, you're not that shocked, are you?" She asks.

"No." He shakes his head. "I had a feeling something like this might happen. Just..I got alot going on, this kind of just added to an already long list." He says.

"I know, it's why we didn't want to tell anyone." Jessie says. "But it's okay, really, you don't have to watch him, he's a good guy." Jessie assures him.

"Hmm." Derek muses, knowing full well he'll be watching Stiles anyway. But Jessie knows that too, she was just trying to make Derek feel better. "2 weeks?"

"Yeah, I know, I shouldn't of kept it secret for that long." Jessie says. "I just didn't want to stress anyone out more than they already were, I mean, you've got the pack, we've all got these Skinwalkers, Ash has her Dad and the court case, her and Scott are still getting through their Mom's death..me and Stiles just didn't seem important enough to tell everyone about, not in the same way those things are, you know?" Jessie says.

"Yeah." Derek nods, knowing _exactly_ how she feels. "I know." He does feel a little guilty about keeping what's going on between him and Ash a secret now that Jessie's come clean, but that's for another day, hell, that conversation needs to be had between the two first.

"It's late, I might head to bed." Jessie says. Derek nods. "We're okay, right?" Jessie asks him.

"Yeah, of course we are." Derek says. Jessie smiles and stands up. She squeezes his shoulder before leaving the room, going to her bedroom.

Derek blows out a breath. He gets up, knowing he has something to do, as a big brother.

..

..

 **Uh-oh! What's he thinking of doing? Favourite, follow and review!**


	29. The Only Choice

**Court hearing in this chapter! :O By the way, I have** _ **no**_ **clue how court works so I'm going off what I've seen in tv programmes and movies, no hate please :)**

 **Shout out to:**

 ***Serena Sterling: Exactly! But yes, it's his job to threaten Stiles a little bit ;) Here's the court case now!**

 ***TheHungryRainbow: I always like your reviews, sweet and simple :) Well, we'll just have to see what happens, won't we? :P**

 ***Guest/Bre x2: Of course I remember you, from my other account, you're one of my most loyal readers, silly! Those fics are on hiatus right now, and I responded to yor review on that fic, you just have to catch up to the chapters :) Cool, I hope you like the new fics on this account, I think they're alot better both plot-wise and because my writing got better, but that's just my opinion of course :)**

 **..**

Stiles walks into his house, locking the front door behind him. He glances around, hating how empty the house feels without his Dad here. At least the doctor says he'll be okay, they just have to watch and moniter him for now. And the Sheriff firmly told Stiles to stay home and not at the hospital, knowing his son hates hospitals after he watched his mother die in one. Stiles sighs before walking up the stairs to his own room.

His phone buzzes in his pocket and he brings it out, sitting on his bed in the darkness.

 _How's your knee? -Jess_

Stiles smiles to himself, feeling abit better, when he sees who the message is from.

 _Dying :( -Stiles_

 _I'm sorry, I didn't think they'd come downstairs -Jess_

 _No, it's ok. Did u talk 2 Derek? -Stiles_

 _Yeh. He's ok with us, I think -Jess_

 _That's good. I'm tired, I mite turn in. Nite babe x -Stiles_

Stiles sends that message nervously, unsure if he's crossing a line. But Jessie said they were seeing each other, Stiles is sure that means dating. So..he can call her 'babe', right?

Laying in bed, Jessie just stares at her phone screen. 'Babe'? 'x'? Oh, god. But, she smiles contently, typing back a reply.

 _Goodnight Stiles x_

Stiles lets out the breath he was holding when she finally does reply. He smiles a little bit more and rests his elbows on his knees, wondering how he managed to get a Hale to send him kisses through text.

Stiles puts his phone on his bedside table and reaches for his lamp. His long fingers find the switch, turning it on.

"Jesus Christ?!" He shrieks before Derek's hand comes over his mouth, shutting up his frightened yelp.

Derek puts a finger to his own lips, Stiles' yelp ringing in his wolf ears. Derek takes his hand away from Stiles' mouth, staring the younger man dead in the eye.

"Oh, shit." Stiles says, frowning. "You're gonna kill me, right? Jesus..I-I didn't do anything to her, Derek. Nothing bad, I swear." He rambles, growing more and more nervous in the alpha's presence.

"Shut up." Derek says. Stiles goes to open his mouth again though. "Ah, _stop_ talking." He warns, flashing his eyes red at the younger man.

Stiles decides to listen, nodding quickly, shutting his mouth.

"Listen to me closely, Stiles." He says, leaning closer to the boy. "Jessie's an adult, I can't help who she sees. _But_ , I promise you, if you hurt her, I _will_ kill you." He threatens him. "You hurt her, you so much as upset her, and it won't matter if you're helpful, it won't matter if you're Scott's best friend, it won't matter if you're like Ash's little brother, none of it will matter. Because I will _still_ kill you." Derek assures him firmly.

Stiles swallows loudly, trying not to show him how scared he actually is. By the way, he's doing a _terrible_ job of it.

"I'll make you watch as I tear the skin from your scrawny human body, do you understand me?" He asks him, shining alpha red eyes and showing bared k-nines for emphasis.

Stiles just nods, wide-eyed, because, even for Derek, that was a pretty morbid threat. But this is Jessie, Derek's little baby sister.

"Say it."

"Yeah, I-I understand." Stiles says, his heart still racing in his chest. This is _definitely_ not what he expected to come home too.

"Good." Derek says, leaning back and walking over to Stiles' window.

"What now?" Stiles asks him. Derek turns back around to look at him.

"Nothing. As long as she's happy, you'll be fine." Derek says. Derek, as much as he hates to admit it, feels a little bad because it's clear as day he's scared the almightly hell out of Stiles. Derek's got his point across, he _definitely_ has.

"Listen, if you can make her happy, then you and I aren't going to have a problem." Derek says, drawing back his fangs and letting his eyes become human green again. Stiles does relax at little to see no traces of Derek's wolf poking out anymore.

" _But_." Derek says, because he doesn't want Stiles to think he's not being dead serious, because he is. "I'll stick to my word, Stiles. You know that." He reminds him.

With that, Derek opens Stiles' window and starts to climb out. But Stiles speaks up again.

"I appreciate this, Derek, I really do. I'd do the exact same thing if it were Ash and some guy I didn't know whether I could trust her with." Stiles says.

Derek glances back over at him, a little guilt in his gut because that's exactly what's going on, and Stiles has no idea, none of them do, except Peter.

"But you don't have to worry, I'm not going to hurt her, you'll see." He says. "I..I really like her." He admits with a dorkish smile. "I just..I've never met anyone like her, you know?"

Derek just looks at the younger male with an awkward cringe, not sure what to say back to that.

"You'll see, Derek. She's gonna be just fine with me." Stiles assures him.

"I guess I will have to see." Derek nods.

Derek leaves after that, and Stiles gets into bed.

..

 _The next morning_

"Are you ready for this?" Scott asks Ash.

"What did you find out last night?" Ash asks him, ingoring his question.

"No, just for now, we're not talking about the pack, alright?" Scott says, holding her shoulders. "Are you ready for this?" He asks her again.

"I..I think so." She says. "Yeah..I am." She nods.

"Miss McCall, they're ready for you." An officer informs her, poking his head into their waiting room. Only Scott, Hailey, Jeff and Jade are allowed in here with her, them being immediate family. The pack is already in the stands, waiting. Ash nods to the officer, giving him a small smile.

"Okay, you can do this, Ash." Hailey says. She got here on time, with Jeff and Jade.

"Yeah." Ash nods. "Okay." She says, blowing out a nervous breath. She takes Jade from Hailey's arms and into her own. "I'm gonna bring you home, baby." She promises Jade, kissing her head. She looks back up at her Aunt. "Take her to Jessie, she's good at handling her and I know she's missed Jade." Ash tell Hailey.

"That's Derek's sister, right?" Hailey asks.

"Yeah." Ash nods.

"Okay, remember, you can do this." Hailey says, squeezing her arm and taking Jade back. Jeff kisses her head and the two adults leave the room with Jade.

"Kick some ass." Scott says, pulling her into a hug. Ash nods, hugging him back tightly.

They walk out together, Ash going over to her designated seat and Scott going over to the pack.

Hailey, as requested, hands Jade to Jessie. Jessie smiles at her and sits Jade on her knee, bouncing her gently, happy to have the toddler with her again because she really did miss the little bundle of mischief.

Stiles smiles, looking to his left at Jessie. Jessie looks at him, smiling back at him, taking his hand into her's and threading their fingers together. Derek, at Jessie's left, glances at the two and right away again, still adjusting to this news of them being an item.

Ash takes her seat at the desk, taking deep breathes in and out, trying to keep herself as level-headed as possible. Ash glances over at where her father and Danielle sit at the other desk.

"Guardian application #37745091, in session." The judge says before banging his gavel. Ash can feel her heart racing in her chest, she's never been in this kind of situation before, not unless she was in trouble with the law herself. She's beyond nervous. "The request for full-custody and guardianship of Jade McCall from the party of Rafael McCall and Danielle King versus the application from the party of Ash McCall for the guardianship change is be declined." He says.

The judge clears his throat, looking at the papers in his hand, ones from both Rafael and Ash, before speaking again.

"Miss McCall has filed a petition to terminate Mr McCall's parental rights." Judge Meyers says.

"Yes, your honor." Ash nods.

"Are you prepared to assume custody if that were to come to pass?" He asks her.

"Yes, I plan too. I can provide stabilty and a safe environment for my sister as well as my brother, something I don't think their father can provide." Ash says. "I have cash assests and a long-term rental agreement with my landlord." Ash says, handing the papers to the free lawyer provided to her who occupies the space beside her.

Ash quickly spoke with Derek earlier this morning, and of course he signed off on the agreement without hesitation, knowing it will help bring Jade home for good.

"Your brother, Scott, he testified about your father's many month-long absences." The judge tells Ash.

She turns and looks at Scott quickly, she didn't know he did that. Scott nods to her, he wanted to help any way he could. Ash turns back to the judge.

"Did his disappearances upset the household?" Meyers asks her.

"Yes, you honor, alot." Ash says. She bits her lip before speaking again, the dirty laundry she kept in all those years ago needs to spill out a little bit now. But the only ones in the whole court are her father and Danielle, the pack and her family, and lawyers. "I was forced to leave college at 18 so I could take care of my family. I had three, sometimes four, jobs at one time, so I could provide for my mother once she was unfit to continue working due to her third pregnancy." Ash tells him.

The pack frown. They know how devoted Ash is to her family but this? They had no idea..

"And your father?" He asks, glancing at Rafael and back to Ash again.

"He left 2 months into the pregnancy, he only showed up again not that long ago." Ash says.

"So, you're saying his hiatus was approxiamtely 2 years long, when your family needed him the most?" Meyers asks her. Ash looks over at her father and nods.

"Yeah, when we _really_ needed a father." She says, meeting his eyes with malice before looking back to the judge.

"Permisson to bring forth one Scott McCall?" The judge requests.

The pack all look to Scott. Ash turns and looks at him as well.

"Only if you want too." Ash tells him, knowing it might be too personal and emotional for him, especially in front of the pack.

But Scott nods and stands up anyway, wanting to help Ash. The steps through the small door and sits in the chair the lawyer pulls up for him, nodding his thanks.

"In your own words, how would you describe your father?" Meyers asks Scott.

"Um..a coward, your honor, a selfish coward." Scott says honestly. Meyers' eyebrows raise a little bit. "What my sister says is true, he walked out when we needed a father the most, when our mother needed him the most. He uh..he was never really around to begin with. He cared more about a bottle than his family-"

The pack knew something was broken in the McCall family but hearing Scott talk this way, they didn't understand how bad it really was.

"Hey, hey, Scott." Ash settles him when he starts to get mad. "It's okay." Ash says quietly, taking his hand in her's, squeezing it gently.

"A very strong opinion, Mr McCall." Meyers says, still looking at Scott.

"Yes, your honor, I apologise." He says, realising that probably wasn't very formal of him.

"You have very special children, Mr McCall." Meyers says, now looking at Rafael.

"Yes." Rafael nods. Ash represses the urge to roll her eyes. "That's why I had to leave. I couldn't stand to see them live through my battle with my work and my increasing drinking problem." Rafael says.

Ash frowns, she didn't think he's say something like that. But Rafael is smart, he knows how to play a judge, he works in a similiar field. He can play the loving father that thought he was doing right by his family. He can admit some things that won't hurt his career, and keep some things to himself.

"So, you left your family?" Meyers asks.

"Yes, to seek help." Rafael says. "And it did help. My partner helped alot too." He says, looking at Danielle with a soft smile. "I hoped to get help, become sober like I am now, and then try to reconcile with my family. Then I meet Danielle and we wanted a family of our own. And when Melissa passed..I thought it would be best we take Jade, seeing as her brother and sister were mourning, becoming upset to a point where I was worried about their mental health." Rafael says.

Ash's eyes widen. She didn't think he's play so.. _dirty_. So duplicitous. Scott frowns, looking at Ash with worry. Ash just shakes her head at him, because she knows words aren't going to win this fight..well, she really hopes not.

"What about your other two children?" Meyers asks him.

"Ash is old enough to take care of herself, and Scott is almost there. And, as you can see, they're both strong and responsible, I didn't think I had to worry about them." Rafael says. Ash glares at him, hating how this is turning out.

"That's bullshit-" Ash says, unable to hold it back.

"Miss McCall, you're out of order." Meyers says.

"Your honor, if I may." Rafael says, taking the floor again. "Ash is my oldest, she's seen too much and been hurt too many times by my behaviour to believe I've changed. That's my fault, not her's." Rafael says.

"Shit." Stiles sighs, running his hand through his hair. He sees what Rafael's doing, he can see exactly the kind of game he's trying to play, the alcoholic father that's turned his life around for the sake of his children. They'll eat that right up. Jessie's frowning, worried, as she places her hand on Stiles' arm, seeing he's stressing out.

Hailey holds Jeff's hand tightly, watching on with worried eyes.

Derek's eyes flick between Ash, Scott, the judge and Rafael, watching and waiting for this to swing another way, for them to call Rafael out on his bullshit.

"Ash has been the one to keep things going when I haven't been around, and I'll forever be grateful for that." Rafael says as sincerely as his cheap cop get-up will let him. "I'm not the perfect parent, but I am now their only parent. I love my kids, they mean the world to me. I just want to make sure Jade is raised to be the kind of adult my other two children have blossomed into." Rafael says.

Ash sighs, rubbing her hand down her face when she sees the way Meyers' eyes soften at the kind sentimant.

"Miss McCall, would you please tell me why your father should be declared unfit and declined the guardianship?" Meyers asks, looking to her now. Ash nods, wiping her eyes quickly. She looks to Scott and she can see the hope he had earlier is fading from his eyes.

"I'm gonna fix this." Ash promises Scott, squeezing his knee. She stands up, only facing the judge, not daring look at her family or the pack behind her. She knows what she has to do.

"Miss McCall?" The judge says when she doesn't say anything. "Your appeal." He says.

"Yes, your honor." She says. She knows this truth is going to hurt Scott, maybe even the pack, the ones that don't know. But, she has to do this here and now, in court, in front of witnesses and a judge, it's the only way Ash is going to sway the judge back into her favour. If Ash had told Scott any other way, one of them would have killed Rafael. And while that solves this guardianship problem to an extent, that's not how Ash wanted to do it. She wouldn't stoop to Rafael's level and resort to violence, not again, not like she did with Danielle.

Ash takes a deep breath and exhales.

"Under the Care of Children Act 2004, under section 18, relating to a father becoming the guardian of his child; it states that if the other parent is deceased, they can become sole guardian." Ash says knowingly, having read over those sections a thousand times last night, just in case.

"Yes, this is in fact true." The judge says, mostly for the records.

"It also states that even that parent can be denied guardianship due to criminal records, more precisely, domestic abuse." Ash says, refusing to look anywhere other than at the judge, scared to look at her brother, at her father, at Danielle, at the pack. And she certainly isn't looking at Jade, who's sitting in Jessie's lap.

"What are you doing?" Rafael asks, looking at Ash.

"Order." The judge says, pointing to Rafael. Most of the pack look at Ash in confusion, especially Scott. "Yes, by the Domestic Violence Act, 1995." The judge says, looking back at Ash. "But Miss McCall, you understand that neither Mr McCall, nor Ms King, has ever been convicted of domestic violence, or any kind of violence. In fact,-" The judge says, bringing up Ash's file because he has to have all 3 of the trialers files on hand in case of something like this. "-you are the only one with a track record." He says, studying the younger woman in front of him.

"Yes, I understand." Ash nods. "I also understand that none of those convictions were even close to the harm of a child-"

"But, they're still there." Judge Meyers points out.

"Yes, your honor. I'm not making excuses, I know what I've done is wrong, and foolish." Ash nods.

"Then would you like to explain to the court why you have brought this to our attention?" He asks her.

"Yes." Ash nods. She looks down, swallowing.

The judge notices her hesitance, he notices how she frowns, how she's nervous.

Ash looks back up. She finally glances at her father. His face falls when he realises what she's going to do.

"5 days ago, I was attacked." Ash says, looking back at the judge. She holds up her cast for a moment and motions to her face.

Scott looks at Stiles with a frown, wondering what she's doing. Stiles shrugs, looking back to the girl. Derek's eyes widen a little as he realises where Ash is taking this. And now Derek realises what Ash was reading up about last night when she went home.

"A police report was never documented." Rafael speaks up, glaring over at her.

"Mr McCall, quiet." The judge says. "You will have your time." He says firmly. Rafael leans back in his chair.

"It's okay, baby. She can't prove anything." Danielle whispers, rubbing Rafael's arm. Ash was right, she is a _despicable_ woman.

"Miss McCall, please proceed." Meyers says.

"For the protection of myself and my family, and so I had peace of mind that the file wouldn't be tampered with, I didn't file a report-"

"Ash." Rafael warns her.

"Order!" Judge Meyers says loudly, banging his gavel. "Keep this up and you'll be spending the night in a jail cell." He says to Rafael. "Miss McCall." He says, getting fed up with giving her the floor over and over again.

The in the dark members of the pack, everyone but Derek, are beyond confused now, having no idea of where Ash is taking this.

"Ash..what are you doing?" Scott asks her. But she ignores him, he'll have the truth soon enough.

"I lied and told everyone that I was jumped." Ash admits. She feels the eyes of the pack burning into her at the word 'lied'.

"Can you tell the court what really happened?" The judge asks, piecing the puzzle together slowly, seeing where this is headed. Ash nods.

Rafael shoots her a warning look but Ash has already made her decision. Her family is too important for her to blow this off any longer. She doesn't care about the threats or the backlash of it all anymore.

"I was at my mother's home, and I heard something downstairs. Someone." She says, looking over at Rafael with a frown. The judge looks over at Rafael.

"Mr McCall?" He asks her.

"Yes." Ash nods. "He was going into our safe-"

"Objection." Rafael says.

"Over-ruled." Meyers shuts him down. "Let Miss McCall finish." He says.

"He was going into our safe, trying to take my Mom's money." Ash says.

"No, I wasn't-" Rafael tries.

"And when I tried to call the police.." Ash says over him. It falls quiet, every person in the room waiting for her to finish.

"What did he do, Miss McCall?" Meyers asks her, already knowing the answer.

"He..he beat me, he's the one that did this to me." Ash admits, a huge weight lifting from her shoulders as she finally gets to come clean without fear of the aftermath.

Scott's face falls, along with the rest of the pack's.

"And he threatened to take Jade and Scott away from me, to never let me see them, if I told anyone, it's part of the reason why I didn't report it. I was scared. He said if I left it alone, I'd be allowed occansional visitation, so you understand why I didn't speak up about it right away." Ash says.

Rafael starts yelling but the judge bangs his gavel, ordering his silence.

Ash just blows out a breath and sits back down, she's got nothing else to say.

Scott stands up, unable to sit here anymore and listen to this. He can't process this. His _father_ , hurting his _sister_? No.

Ash watches Scott walk out, but she understands.

Derek sees him and stands up too. Ash meets his eyes sadly. Derek gives her a proud nod before following Scott out so he can calm him down, help keep his wolf back before Scott shifts and loses it.

Stiles leans over the railing dividing the audience and the stands. He rests his hand on Ash's shoulder, squeezing gently, still trying to process the news himself. She reaches up and squeezes his hand, her eyes filling with tears.

"A full investigation will be conducted then will be brought to trial again as soon as possible. Until then, Jade May McCall stays as is." Meyers decides, slamming down the gavel.

"C'mon, Ash. Let's get you out of here." Jessie says, standing up. Ash looks at the judge and he gestures to her to come over.

"I'll meet you outside." Ash says. "Make sure Scott's okay." She says, looking to Stiles. Stiles nods. Ash goes over to Jessie, kissing Jade's head. "Thank you for looking after her." Ash says, looking up at Jessie.

Jessie nods, frowning at the tear that manages to escape, slipping down Ash's cheek. Ash sniffs, quickly wiping it away before turning around and walking over to the judge.

"Scott?" Derek says, seeing the younger man stop outside, squeezing his eyes shut and rubbing his hands down his face. He walks over to stand in front of him. Scott opens his eyes and they're watery.

"Just.." Scott says. Derek looks at Scott solumely, he knows he must feel _wrong_ with this sudden news. He knows Scott must be hurting too. Scott's always tried to protect his sister, he just..he couldn't this time. "I just don't understand." Scott says sadly. "How could he do that to Ash?" Scott asks Derek, his eyes filling with tears.

He knew Rafael was a low-life, that he was a drunk, that he was a coward but this..it's alot harder to swallow.

"How could he do that to his own daughter?" As the tears start to fall down Scott's face, Derek pulls him into an embrace, even if it is completely out of his comfort zone but he can see Scott really needs it.

Scott grips the alpha tightly without a second thought, squeezing his eyes shut tightly.

"How could he hurt her like that?" Scott asks, beginning to cry properly now.

Derek pats his back, trying to help comfort him the best he can, seeing the rest of the pack coming out of the building now.

Stiles sees Derek's struggling a little bit so he takes over. Derek lets Scott go, letting Stiles comfort him instead.

"I'm sorry, Scott, I'm so sorry." Stiles says quietly, hugging his best friend tightly.

Derek goes back over to Jessie. He looks at Jessie and then down at Jade, touching her hair gently, trying to ignore how much Scott's sobs actually get to him, how much this whole thing gets to him.

"She was really brave doing that." Jessie says, looking at Derek.

"Yeah." Derek nods in agreement. "She was." He feels pride in his chest for her doing what she did, but there's alot of bad emotions too because it's now a _very_ real reality, that that really did happen, that Ash's own father almost beat her to death.

Ash followed the judge into his back office, he wanted to take the time out to talk to her privately. He brought the officer in, to get her statement on what happened at the house.

"Your brother and sister are very fortunate to have you." Judge Meyers tells her.

"Thank you." Ash smiles a little.

"From all appearances, your father's a liar." Meyers says.

"Yes. He actually only met Jade for the first time right before my Mom passed." Ash says. "He's not good for her, he's not good for Scott. Even if you don't believe he hurt me, _please_..this isn't about me, it's about them." She says.

"I believe you." He says. "But this needs to be done by the books, this officer will take your statement once we're done." He tells her. Ash nods.

"So if the cops can prove he did this to me, what happens then?" Ash asks. "Does Jade stay with me?"

"If it's proven then he will be denied guardianship and he'll spend time in prison. Then, you can apply, and if everything goes well in court then yes, Jade will come under your guardianship." Meyers tells her.

"Okay." Ash nods.

"If it goes the way I'm hoping, your sister will stay with you." He says.

"Thank you." Ash says.

"I'll turn you over to Officer Dayton, he'll take your statement." Meyers says, standing up. "I'll see you soon, Miss McCall." He says. Ash nods her thanks and throws him a smile before he leaves.

"Ash, is it?" The officer asks, they're not as formal as the judge had to be. Ash nods. "Okay, just tell me what happened." He says.

"Okay." Ash nods. "Like I said, I went to my mother's house, I wanted to be..where I felt close to her." She admits, knowing it sounds strange. But it's not Dayton's job to judge her. "It was maybe an hour and a half before the sun went down. I caught him about to go into the safe. I said I was calling the Sheriff, and he attacked me. I did hit him back, but it was self-defense. I got in maybe 1 or 2 hits, it's how he got that black eye..then the rest was him." Ash says, looking at her hands in her lap. "There's only 3 people who have the keys to my Mom's place. Me, John, and my father, and John's still in hospital. I remember locking the door once I was inside, he had to have used the key to get in. And only me, my Mom and my father have the combination to the safe." She tells him. "I uh..I passed out in the driveway, trying to get away from the house to find help. My brother and his friends had been looking for me, and luckily, they found me and then took me to the hospital." She tells him the rest.

"Okay, this is very helpful, Ash." Dayton says, flipping his notepad closed once she stops speaking. "We can run fingerprints, check his alibis, check out the house..we'll get to the truth." He tells her.

"Thank you." Ash says, looking up at him now. She stands and they walk towards the door. Dayton opens the door for her, letting her pass through first. "Thanks again." She says before Ash heads out the door and he goes back to his own quarters.

She hesitates as she reaches the main doors. She knows the pack will be waiting outside. She doesn't want to be questioned or anything, she just wants to go home. But they know that, they've come to know what she's like.

Scott stands up from where he was sitting on the steps when he hears that heartbeat come through the doors.

Ash looks down at the ground because she knows they'll all now looking at her.

Scott walks up to her and Ash forces herself to look at him from under her lashes. Scott pulls her into a whole-hearted hug.

Ash sighs shakily, hugging him back, gripping the back of his shirt tightly.

"I am _so_ sorry, Ash." Scott whispers, brushing his hand down her head.

Ash doesn't say anything, she just hugs him tighter. Ash shuts her eyes, hiding her face in Scott's shoulder.

..

..

 **Finally,** _ **finally**_ **, the truth about Rafael comes out! And, of course, I loved writing some protective Derek in the beginning! Favourite, follow and review!**


	30. End Of The Day

**Shout out to:**

 ***Serena Sterling: Everything's coming around finally, especially for Rafael! You're welcome and thank you!**

 ***Tesla424: Thanks, I'm glad it was believable :) I really loved writing that scene with Derek and Stiles :P**

 ***Guest: Good! I'll get onto it but no promises, but hopefully I will get it done! Yay, another Dash shipper!**

 ***TheHungryRainbow: Finally! Hehe :P**

 ***Maxine Hale: Thank you :) Here's the update!**

 **..**

"Look after your sister, alright?" Jeff says to Scott as Hailey approaches Ash.

"Of course, always." Scott nods. Scott embraces his Uncle. Jeff claps him on the back before they pull away.

"I'll see you all later." Jeff says, waving to the group of people, the pack, that occupy the McCall's living room and sofas. He's unsure of who exactly they all are, having only met them briefly, but they were there for Ash at the court hearing and they're here for the McCall family now so Jeff's not bothered with the being here. He's grateful his neices and nephew have these supportive people in their lives.

"We're going to be staying 5 minutes away, at the hotel." Hailey tells Ash. "If you need _anything_ , don't hesitate to call me, alright?"

"Okay." Ash nods.

"I..I know you don't want to hear it anymore but, I am really sorry about..everything." She says. Because she really is, she knew what kind of man Rafael was when he was around, but she _never_ thought he would raise a hand to his own child.

"I know." Ash says. Hailey pulls Ash to her, hugging her.

Jeff walks over to the two woman, resting her hands on both of their backs, rubbing gently until they pull back again.

"Do you want me to take Jade, give you some down time?" Hailey asks her neice.

"No, I'm fine, really." Ash says, but it's not exactly true and they all know it, even Ash knows it. "I want her here with us." She says. "I need to know she's right here."

"Okay." Hailey nods, understanding. "Remember, 5 minutes away. Call, text, anything." She says. Ash nods. "Get some sleep, sweetheart, you need it." Hailey says softly, gently touching Ash's cheeks.

"Yeah, I will." Ash nods.

"Bye, sweetie." Hailey says, heading out the door. Jeff squeezes her shoulder gently and follows his partner out. Ash shuts the door behind them. She bites her bottom lip, taking a moment before she turns around to face the pack.

Jessie's still holding Jade, making faces at her to keep her entertained. She bounces Jade on her knees, the toddler smiling. Jessie is definitely a natural with kids, she'll make a very good mother one day to her own kids.

Stiles watches the two girls with soft eyes and a lazy smile, admiring Jessie's nurturing nature and Jade's excitement and love for life, from afar.

"Ash." Jade cooes, looking at her big sister.

They all look at the dark-haired girl who is still leaning againist the front door.

"Ash." Jessie says, holding Jade out to her.

Ash sniffs, pulling herself together, before she walks over to Jessie, scooping Jade up into her own arms. She holds Jade close to her, her hand gently stroking Jade's hair.

Ash can feel them all still looking at her and forces herself to look up at them, to _face_ them.

"I, uh.." Ash clears her throat, nibbling at her lip nervously. "I'm sorry I lied to all of you." She says, her voice coming out quieter than usual.

She glances away from them and at Jade as the young girl fiddles Ash's long hair in her hands and touches the golden locket around Ash's neck that their mother gave to her.

"It's okay." Stiles pipes up. "We know why you did it. And we get it." He says, speaking for all of them. None of them object, so Ash takes it as they're agreeing, and she nods back to them.

"What happens now?" Jessie asks, looking over at Ash.

"They..they do their investigation and then I go back to court." Ash tells them, looking over at Jessie. "There's fingerprints and..and uh..blood, so..it's in my favour, I think." Ash says, looking at Jade again so she doesn't have to look at them.

"And then what?" Isaac asks, curious.

"After that, I hopefully be appointed as Scott and Jade's guardian. Then I raise Jade." Ash says, looking over at him now.

"You raise a toddler?" Jessie questions, making Ash's eyes snap to her. But Jessie didn't mean any disrespect and Ash soon realises that when she sees the look on Jessie's face. "How do we help?" She asks Ash.

"Thank you but, right now..I have no idea." Ash says honestly with a soft sigh.

"Well..we're here anyway." Stiles assures her.

"Thank you." Ash says with a small smile. She looks at Jade again, poking her tounge out at her. Jade does it back and it's one the most adorable things ever.

Stiles smiles, seeing how much Ash obviously loves and cares about her family, and especially how protective she is of Jade. Ash knows Scott can take care of himself, but of course she still worries about him too, she always will.

It becomes clear how late it's actually getting when Jade starts to get restless, wiggling uncomfortably in Ash's arms.

Derek looks at the baby girl and then up at Ash.

"It's getting late, we should clear out." He suggests.

"Yeah, I think that's a good idea." Scott nods. He and his little family need some time to themselves, to unwind.

Ash gives them small smiles as they stand up to leave, saying their goodbyes to all three McCalls until only Derek's still in the loft.

"Something wrong?" Scott asks Derek.

"No." Derek shakes his head. He looks between Ash and Scott before he speaks, trying to be as sincere and he really feels. "We're all here. Whatever you need." He says, on behalf of himself and his pack, knowing they would have no problem backing that up.

"Thank you." Scott says.

"Thanks, Derek." Ash says, holding Jade with one arm and touching his arm with the other.

Derek looks up at her, meeting her eyes.

"Are you okay?" He asks her. Ash nods slowly.

"I will be." She says. She lets him go and he heads for the door, to go home to his loft.

"Hey." Stiles catches Jessie's arm gently as she heads back to her loft. She stops, turning back to face him.

"Hey." Jessie says.

"I just want you to know, that what I said to you yesturday, I meant every word of it." Stiles tells her.

Derek stops, leaning againist the wall. He watches the two teenager's exchange for a minute, keeping himself out of sight.

"Noone's hurting you, I promise." Stiles assures her and Derek can see the conviction is the boy's eyes and hear it in his voice. He smiles a little, because that's what he wants to hear.

"This is about what happened to Ash, isn't it?" Jessie asks him.

"A little bit, yeah." Stiles nods. Because that news hurt him alot, and he's not letting anything like that happen again, not to Ash, not to Jessie.

"I'm gonna be fine, Stiles. Ash is too." Jessie assures him. Stiles smiles softly. "I better get going." She says. She leans in to kiss him but that's when Derek decides to reveal himself.

Stiles clears his throat awkwardly, nodding behind Jessie when he spots Derek, Jessie nods, stepping back.

"Home time?" Jessie asks, turning around and knowing it'll be Derek she sees. And she's right.

"Yeah." Derek nods. Jessie looks to Stiles again, giving him a soft smile. Stiles smiles back.

Derek walks back towards the loft.

"I'll see you later on tonight." Jessie whispers to Stiles before following Derek inside.

Stiles waits until she's inside safely before he turning and walking down the stairs. He gets down to the bottom story, spotting his Jeep and walking over. He puts the key in the door and unlocks it, getting inside. He puts the key in the ignition and starts up the Jeep, pulling his seat beat on. He's about to drive but pauses.

"Wait..later on tonight?" He asks himself, remembering what Jessie said. He smiles a little and pulls out, driving home.

Jessie sighs when she gets into the loft to see Peter sitting on the sofa.

"I'm going to bed. 'Night Derek, 'night Isaac." Jessie says, heading up the stairs.

"Goodnight." Isaac says, heading up behind her because he doesn't want to be stuck in the room with the two males Hales, no way. Not when Derek looks like he wants to kill Peter already.

"Yeah, goodnight to you too." Peter says sarcastically, looking over at Jessie. Derek's about to say something, remind Peter of what he said about provoking Jessie, but Jessie decides to handle it herself, her own way.

"Fuck off, Peter." Jessie throws over her shoulder, not even sparing the man as glances as she disappears into her room. Derek smirks. Peter narrows his eyes but doesn't retaliate because he's got more pressing issues. For example, why Derek when to court today.

"You and the rest of the pack went to that court hearing today, didn't you?" Peter asks Derek.

"Yeah, we did." Derek says without any shame.

"You're wasting your time-"

"We went there to support Ash. Because that's what a pack does, it's not just about killing things, Peter. You've forgotten what it's really like to be in a pack." Derek cuts him off.

"Your pack is not your family." Peter says, standing up, because he remembers when the Hales were all a pack, a large, powerful pack.

"No, you're wrong. This pack _is_ my family." Derek says. Peter shakes his head. "And we support each other, just like we did today. And if you were actually there, you'd know why we _needed_ to be there for her."

"Why are you defending this girl?" Peter asks him. "Because you screwed her? It's not like you knocked her up, you don't owe her anything."

"No, because she doesn't deserve the things that have happened to her. You'd know that too if you weren't such an egotistical narcissist." Derek says, getting angry now. He doesn't like the way Peter keeps objectifying Ash, acting like Derek used her for sex and that's all.

"This pack is gonna be what kills you, Derek. It almost did kill you. Don't say I didn't warn you." Peter says before walking out of the loft. Derek huffs out an angry breath, so sick of having Peter stroll into his home and give his disappointed 2 cents before leaving. Derek sits down on the sofa, rubbing his hand down his tired face.

But, in the McCall loft, Ash finishes changing Jade from her day clothes to her purple onesie that she always sleeps in.

"That's better, isn't it?" Ash says, setting Jade down on the double bed so Ash can put Jade's dirty clothes in the hamper in her bathroom.

Ash comes back into the room and finds Jade laying on her back, drifting off to sleep.

"Hey, c'mon, sweetheart." Ash says, walking over to her and lifting her up into her arms. Jade sleepily lays againist Ash's chest, her hands making tired fists over her shoulder. "I'll put you bed." Ash says, bouncing Jade softly, the toddler's eyes drooping shut.

"It's late, and I'm exhuasted. I'm gonna head to bed." Scott says, peeking into Ash's room. He smiles, seeing how Ash craddles Jade and Jade curls into Ash.

"Okay. I'll see you in the morning." Ash says. Scott nods and turns to go. "Oh, wait." Ash says. Scott stops, walking back into her room. "I might have a bath, could you take her? I'll come in and get her afterwards." Ash says.

"I can just have her for the night." Scott offers. "Auntie's right, you need some down time, Ash." Scott says.

Ash thinks about it for a moment.

Scott walks over to them, lifting the sleepy girl out of Ash's arms and into his own.

"Geez, you're like a sack of potatoes. You must be tired, huh?" Scott says to Jade, letting her rest on his chest now. Scott looks back up at Ash and her eyes are soft as she watches them. "I'll keep her tonight, we'll see you in the daylight." He says, leaning over and kissing Ash's head.

"Okay. Thank you." Ash says with a small smile, agreeing.

"No sweat. Have a bath, have a beer, just relax. You deserve some time out for once." Scott says. Ash nods.

Scott lets Ash kiss Jade goodnight before he leaves her room, shutting the door behind him and going down the hall to his own.

Ash locks her bedroom door and slips out of her singlet and jeans. She digs through her bag on the bed, taking one of the last smokes from her pack of Malboros. She uses her zippo to light her cigarette. She takes off the rest of her clothes and goes into the bathroom. She's definitely too jacked up to fall asleep right now, she needs to relax, just like Scott prescribed.

She puts the plug in the bath. She turns the hot tap on and finds an old friend of her's. Lavender-scented bubbles, a guilty pleasure of her's. She smiles a little, squirting alot into the tub, the water mixing with it and making sweet-smelling bubbles. While the tub fills, she gets into it.

It's actually calming for her to suck down on the stick of cancer, surrounded with the smell of her favourite flower and the warmth of flowing water. She uses her toes to turn the tap off when the bathtub is full. Ash shuts her eyes, resting her head on the edge of the bath so her body's under the water and bubbles. She blows out the mouthful of smoke, sinking into peaceful solitude.

Ash's eyes open when she hears a sound from her room. She frowns, about to get up and investigate.

"Ash?" Derek says.

Ash relaxes, recognizing the voice to be Derek's.

"In here." She says, relaxing back into the water.

Derek follows her voice, pausing when he sees she's in the bath.

"It's okay." Ash assures him when he stops. "You've seen me naked before." She reminds him. Besides, she's covered by the floral scented bubbles anyway. She's not exactly..confident, about the way she looks, she's alot more insecure than people would think, but she's covered enough to be comfortable and Derek's not frowning or cringing away so she's letting him come in.

Derek nods, stepping into the bathroom.

"Lavender." He guesses, recognizing the familiar smell filling the bathroom as the same scent he always smells on Ash.

"Yeah." Ash nods, looking at him.

The smell of her cigarette and the bath bubbles fill Derek's nose, reminding him exactly how Ash smelt the other morning, how she smelt when she was sleeping on his chest comfortably like they'd been doing this thing that's between them for months.

Derek sits down on the floor, leaning againist the wall beside the bath.

She glances at him before leaning back again, bringing the cigarette back up to her lips. She takes a drag and hands it out to Derek in her red-casted hand that she makes sure she keeps out of the water.

Derek looks to his side, looking from her face to her extended hand. He nods once and takes the cigarette into his fingers. He brings it up to his mouth, capturing it in his own lips.

"It's getting late, why aren't you in bed?" Ash asks him.

"Says the one smoking in the bath." He says.

Ash chuckles softly, taking the smoke back from him when he holds it up behind him.

"What's going through your head?" He asks her, seeing the far too familiar look of over-thinking clouding her features. He can see, practically _hear_ , the cogs cranking in her mind.

"I don't really know, too many things, I guess." She says honestly, looking up at the ceiling. "I just know I can't get to sleep yet."

They don't say anything after that. Not for awhile.

Ash pokes her toes out of the water, wiggling them a little bit in the open air before she lets her feet sink back into the warmth again. She exhales softly, just enjoying this quiet time to herself, even if the stubbled werewolf is in here as well, he's not annoying her so she's okay with having his company.

"I haven't gotten the chance to tell you this yet but, what you did, coming clean like that..it was brave, Ash." Derek says, breaking the calm silence.

Ash turns her head to look at him, seeing the sincerity in his eyes.

"I had to do it." She says. "It was the only way I'd win back the sway of the judge. But thanks anyway." She says with an upturn of her lips.

They fall into that quiet again but keep looking at each other.

Ash looks between both of his emerald eyes. She's never been able to get past how gorgeous his eyes are, like two shimmering Peridot orbs. And the rest of him is just as striking, right down to the big heart he's constantly trying to pretend he doesn't have. Ash doesn't know why he pretends to be a hard-ass all the time, but she can relate and understand why he might not want to appear as tender as he can be when he really tries.

He looks back at her eyes, they're more blue than the usual turquiose right now. Derek can be reckless, but he's never been _stupid_. He knows who this girl is, he knows what she's like. He knows she's a mess, a _stunning_ mess, just like the font of her hip tattoo. But he finds that he doesn't care. It's part of what drew him into her in the first place. He doesn't mind that a part of her is broken, emotionally, because after everything he's been through, part of him is broken too. But, don't get me wrong, she's no princess, she doesn't need a prince to come charging in to save her. She's a goddamn _queen_. She can handle, and save, herself. Just like Derek.

"So, is this the plan? Are you gonna stay in the bath all night?" Derek asks her.

"I don't know." She says honestly. "You should get some sleep, Derek." Ash says, sucking down on the cigarette, seeing how tired he looks.

"So should you." He says, seeing how tired she looks. Then he pauses and he knows even his wolf is tiring out. "Maybe we both should." He decides, knowing she's probably just as, if not more, tired than he is.

Ash takes the last drag from the cigarette before putting it on the edge of the bath. She gets up, quickly grabbing a towel and wrapping it around herself.

Derek's respectful, he doesn't oogle the wet, naked body in front of him even though he easily could. He looks in his lap, averting his eyes. He may seem to be more animal than human sometimes, he may even be a little bit of a savage sometimes too, but he also knows how to be chivalrous as well, his Mom taught him that. And he's not falling into this bullshit Peter keeps feeding him either, he didn't use her for sex, that happened on it's own.

"Come on." Ash says, holding her hand out to Derek.

He looks a little confused but takes her hand anyway, getting to his feet. She takes him back into her room, and he sits down on the end of her bed.

"Come here." Derek says, pulling her towards him gently.

Ash abides, moving over to him. She sits down on his knee, looking at him.

"What is it?" She asks him.

"Just..why haven't you kicked me out yet?" He asks her, curious, because most people hear his name and bolt, they don't sleep with him and then let him come back. He's just not used to being accepted like this. But like Derek said to Ash back at the hospital, they don't have to hide. They know each other, they understand each other. Derek doesn't need to run or hide from her, and she doesn't need to do it to him either.

Ash doesn't give a spoken answer, partly because she doesn't know how to put it into words, so instead, she leans in and kisses him.

Derek is surprised by the lips suddenly on his but still he returns her smooch, moving his lips in tandom with her's.

His arms come around her, pulling Ash flush againist him as Ash just works away at his lips, kissing him gently but passionately, hoping whatever she could have said is showing in her actions right now.

Ash threads her hands into his short, raven hair, gently running her fingernails over his scalp. Which, surprisingly, feels nicer than it sounds.

"Is this gonna help you get to sleep?" Derek asks her between kisses, knowing where this is going, they both do, just like the first time.

"Mmm hmm, it did last time." Ash nods, wrapping her arms around his back now.

"Then I can't say no." He says, charmed, not that he would object to this anyway.

They lean back until they're laying on Ash's bed. Derek rolls them so he's laying over her as he reaches for her towel. Ash lifts her hips up for a moment so he can pull it out from underneth her. Derek tosses it to the floor with her discarded clothes from earlier, taking her lips with his again as Ash removes her hands from his hair to run them down his chest.

And with Derek not at the loft to hear her, and Isaac in his own room, probably sleeping, Jessie climbs out her window and then creeps down the fire escape, trying to be as quiet as a mouse.

Stiles is almost asleep when there's a bang on his window.

His eyes snap open and he looks over at the window. Derek's barged through his window before, so maybe it's him, coming back to kill Stiles. But then there's a shadow and another bang. Stiles gets out of bed and goes over to the window. He opens it, looking down. A smile comes to his face. That's not Derek, it's much better.

"Are you gonna leave me to freeze to death out here or let me inside?" Jessie asks him with a smile of her own, a couple more stones to throw at the window in her hand.

"Come around the front." Stiles tells her. She nods and he shuts his window, jogging down the steps and to the front door. He opens it, letting Jessie slip inside. "Jess, you're nuts, one of them might have seen you leave, they'll kill us both-" Jessie cuts him off, pressing her lips to his. Stiles shuts himself up and kisses her back.

"I wanted to kiss you back there but I didn't get the chance too." Jessie says, pulling back to look at him. "I just wanted to come by and do it." She says.

"Okay." Stiles nods with a smile, completely okay with that. "Do you wanna stay over, it's pretty late?" He asks her.

"I can hang out here until the sun starts to come up, then I should get back in case they realise I'm gone." Jessie says. "I don't think Derek would approve."

"No..no, he wouldn't." Stiles agrees, thinking back to last night, when Stiles _swears_ Derek really was going to kill him right there and then. "Okay, come on." Stiles says, holding out his hand. Jessie puts her hand in his. Stiles starts leading her up the stairs.

"Where are we going?" She asks him.

"My bedroom." Stiles says. Jessie raises her eyebrows. "Oh, n-no, not _that_." He clarifies quickly, not wanting to offend her, but Jessie just chuckles because she really likes his cluminess, whether spoken or literal. "I have every Star Wars on DVD, I was thinking we could just hang out and watch some movies, break into my snack stash that I have to hide from my Dad." He says with an amused glint in his eye.

"I like the sounds of that." Jessie smiles, following him into his room.

..

Afterwards, like last time, Derek and Ash lay together in bed, Ash with her head on his chest and Derek with an arm thrown around her waist, his fingertips brushing over her last name tattooed on her hip.

There's no awkward silence like last time, maybe because they've finally admitted to themselves that they do actually like each other, that they are attracted to each other, that what happened between them wasn't a one time thing..obviously, because it just happened again.

But there is something troubling Ash.

"Did I do something wrong?" Ash asks him with a soft frown.

"No." Derek shakes his head, looking down at her. "Why would you ask me that?"

"I don't know..you just seem quiet, more so than usual." She says.

"Trust me, it's not anything you did, you were perfect." He says.

Ash can't help the red that washes into her cheeks at Derek's surprising compliment.

Derek pauses, not realising the word 'perfect' had slipped from his mouth until now. Not that it's a lie, she was pretty goddamn _perfect_.

"Is something wrong then?" She asks.

Derek meets her worried eyes and decides to be honest.

"Last night, after you went home, Jessie came clean about something." Derek says. Ash looks up at him.

"Oh..really? What about?" Ash asks, not sure whether Derek knows what Ash thinks he knows.

"She told everyone that she's with Stiles, has been for weeks." Derek says. Ash's eyes widen just a little, surprised to hear that, but also happy to hear that. "Now I know Scott would have known for sure. But, you knew too, didn't you?" Derek asks her.

"Yeah, sort of." Ash answers honestly, giving him an awkward, half sorry smile. "I'm sorry, but..it just wasn't my news to tell." She says, using Derek's own words back to him. "I just sort of told them not to hide, to be honest about whatever's between them, you know? That it'd work itself out." She says.

The bedroom falls quiet because those words are more than accurate for them as well, about their little _whatever_ that they're still holding to secrecy.

Ash can't handle the suffocating silence so she breaks it.

"Think you could go again?" She asks him, shyly. She sits up, holding the blanket to her chest, and looks at him.

Derek looks up at her and Ash raises her eyebrows, leaving the invitation open even if it was bold for her to ask.

Derek sits up too. He nods. Ash leans in to kiss him but the alpha quickly lays her onto her back, making Ash giggle as he starts to kiss her neck as a way of saying 'yes'.

..

..

 **Both sort-of 'couples' are sneaking around ;) Now do you see what I mean? Stessie is more about emotion and the way they feel, making sure they both know. But Dash is more physical, more about showing those feelings instead of saying them. Favourite! Follow! Review!**


	31. Consequences Of Secrets

**Little bit of a warning for some harsher language, a little more than what's usually in this fic.**

 **Shout out to:**

 ***Serena Sterling: Aw :3 Yes, Derek will snap if Peter keeps going..which he will.. You're welcome and thanks!**

 ***Maxine Hale: Thanks!**

 ***TheHungryRainbow: Thank you :)**

 ***Bre: Hi, yes I remember you! You used to be 'Bree' with two e's for awhile! I've replied back to you a couple times now, on my Supernatural fic and on this one. But, I'm happy you like this one :) Again, those fics are on hiatus and I have no set date for an update, sorry. As for Derek and Leah..I don't know about that one either, but if I were to update one, it would probably be that one but no promises!**

 **..**

"Ash. Ash, wake up." Scott says, knocking on her bedroom door.

Ash stirs awake to the sound of a fist tapping againist wood. Her eyes flutter open sleepily and she feels movement underneth her as the owner of the bare chest she went to sleep on wakes up as well. But she ignores it, too sleepy to care. She shuts her eyes again, getting ready to go back to sleep.

"Ash, open up. I'm late for school." Scott says, knocking again.

"Ash, your brother's at the door." Derek says quietly, shaking her a little.

It's like shattering glass, Ash snaps awake, becoming completely alert.

"Shit." Ash whispers, looking at Derek and then at the door.

"Ash, c'mon! I'm late." Scott says, knocking louder now as he becomes impatient.

"Jesus Christ, Scott. Hold on!" Ash says as she scrambles away from Derek and out of bed.

She grabs her robe off the back of the door and pulling it on and tying it up quickly so she's no longer naked.

She unlocks her door, only pulling it open and little bit.

"Uh, hey. Good morning." She says, leaning againist the doorframe so Scott can't see into her room.

"Yeah, hey, you slept in." Scott tells her. "Listen, I have to get to school." Scott says. He looks up the hallway when Jade comes running over. "Here's Jade." He says as she comes over to them.

"Hi." Jade smiles up at Ash.

"Hey, sweetie." Ash smiles back to her. "Oh..could you make her something to eat?" Ash asks Scott, not wanting to let Jade into her room right now. Obvious reason number 1, there's a naked werewolf in her bed.

"Everything okay?" Scott asks with a small frown, completely unaware of Ash's situation.

"Yeah." Ash nods. "Yeah, I just..have to change and tidy up a little bit. I'll be 2 minutes, tops." She says.

"Okay, fine. But hurry, Stiles is in the Jeep, waiting." Scott says, taking Jade's hand and walking down the stairs with her.

"Yeah, thanks." Ash says before shutting her door again. She turns around and Derek's now dressed, sitting on her bed. "Sorry." She says.

"You don't want Scott to know, I get it." He nods, because right now, neither of them want anyone to know, because they don't know what's going on between them either. Derek just wishes that would include Peter too, but he's the only one who _does_ know.

"It's not that I don't want him to know, it's just.." Ash tries to explain.

"It's okay, I get it." He says again.

"I don't want you to think I'm like..ashamed or anything." She says, trying to say what she means but it isn't coming out too well.

"Ash." Derek says, walking up to her. "It's okay." He says with a soft look. He understands what she means, they need to figure out what the hell they're doing before they announce anything.

"Well, I gotta.." Ash says, nodding out the door.

"Yeah." Derek nods. "I'll go out the window." He says.

"Okay." Ash nods.

It's quiet as they stand there, not sure what to do. So, Derek does what he did the last time they had sex. He walks up to her, kissing her.

"I'll see you later." He says.

Ash nods and kisses him one more time before pulling back. He goes out the window and she throws her clothes into the hamper, finding a clean outfit to wear. She sprays herself with some perfume, not wanting Scott to pick up on Derek's scent.

Ash opens her curtains and windows then leaves the room, going downstairs.

"There you are, Munchkin." Ash says, tickling Jade's sides. Jade giggles and squirms in her arms.

"Here, fruit smoothie bowl for breakfast." Scott says, putting the high-sided bowl on Jade's high chair. "I gotta run, see you after school." Scott says, kissing Ash's cheek before grabbing his bag and rushing out the door. Ash smiles and lifts Jade up, putting her into her high chair.

"Look what Scott made for you." Ash says, sitting down in the chair beside Jade, putting a straw in the bowl and holding the other end up to Jade's mouth. Jade wraps her lips around and starts to drink it hungerily.

Lips are smacking together, breath is mixing together as Jessie and Stiles make-out in the Jeep. They were waiting for Scott, and things just kind of snow-balled from there.

Stiles lifts Jessie up and over the stick-shift, pulling her into his lap so they can more easily access each other. She smiles againist his lips before kissing him again, threading her hands through his growing hair. She starts to lean back, reaching out blinding for the dash, when her back hits the steering wheel.

They both jump, getting a fright, when the horn sounds loudly. Jessie leans forward, off of it, and starts to laugh againist Stiles' lips. Stiles starts to laugh as well, their foreheads leant together as they laugh together.

"You have no idea how attractive it is for you to be able to make me laugh." Stiles says to her.

"With my clumsiness?" Jessie asks, still smiling.

"With your everything." Stiles says. Jessie feels her cheeks flush red. "You're beautiful, Jess." He says.

"Where's all this coming from?" Jessie asks him.

"It's always been there, I've just never said it until now." Stiles says.

"You know, I had fun last night, watching Star Wars with you." Jessie says.

"So did I. I wish you could have stayed over though." Stiles says.

"I know, it's just..you know how Derek is, he'd flip if he knew." She says.

"No, I know." Stiles nods. "But he's gonna have to get over it, because I want you over at my place more often. I like spending time with you, just us."

"Good, I like being over at your place, just us." Jessie smiles, leaning back in to claim Stiles' lips with her own.

They both jump when a hand knocks on the windshield. They both look in that direction with wide eyes, only to sigh in relief to see it's only Scott.

Jessie gets off of Stiles and gets into the passenger's seat, sitting down. Stiles straightens up his shirt and hair as Scott gets into the back seat, a grin on his face.

"Sorry for interrupting." Scott says.

"No, you're not." Stiles says knowingly.

"Not really." Scott shrugs. Jessie chuckles and pulls her seatbelt on. Stiles shakes his head with a smile and turns over the key in the ignition, starting up the Jeep.

..

Ash sits on her bed cross-legged, her laptop in front of her. She does her own research on Skinwalkers, reading about possible sightings, reading different cultures versions of the legend. And no, they don't look very friendly at all.

Ash clicks onto this spooky looking link. It brings up a story, a Native American story of the Navajo Yenaldooshi. A frown comes to her face as she concerntrates, starting to read the passage.

 _Human beings who have gained supernatural power by breaking the cultural taboo. A person is said to gain the power to become a Yenaldooshi upon initiation into the Witchery Way._

Ash clicks on 'Witchery Way', reading a little into that as well.

 _Men or woman who have attained the highest level of priesthood are called 'clizyati' (pure evil), when they commit the act of killing a close blood relative (sister, brother, mother, father), incest or necrophilia-_

Ash slams her laptop shut, not wanting to read anymore than that, especially not when they not only killed her Mom but hurt Derek too. She shivers in disgust.

She looks over at Jade's crib when she starts to stir awake. Ash put her down a couple hours after breakfast for a nap.

Ash gets off her bed, going over to Jade.

"Morning, Sweetpea." Ash says, smiling down at the girl. Jade's eyes flutter open, looking back up at Ash.

"Hi." Jade says with a sleepy smile. Ash lifts her out of her crib and raspberries her neck, making Jade giggle loudly. "Look, ouchy." Jade says, touching Ash's cast.

"Yeah, ouchy." Ash says.

"De'ick." Jade says.

"What? No." Ash shakes her head.

"Yes, look." Jade nods, pointing over Ash's shoulder. Ash turns around to find the wolf sitting on her bed.

"Oh, hey." Ash says, surprised, but still happy, to see him. "How did you get in?"

"Front door was unlocked and I could hear you two were up here so.." He explains. "I, uh..maybe I should have knocked." He realises.

"It's okay." Ash shakes her head. These two are a little past knocking. "What are you doing here?" She asks him.

She has to put Jade down because she's squirming. Jade gets to her feet, only to jump up on the bed and sit with Derek. Ash can't help but smile softly at that picture.

"I just wanted to make sure you were okay after yesturday." Derek says, glancing down at Jade as she plays with his fingers, and then back up to Ash.

"Do you mean last night?" She asks him. "'Cause there was _nothing_ wrong with last night." She says.

Derek smirks a little, his male ego loving this.

"I meant court." He clarifies.

"Oh." Ash says, feeling a little awkward that she said that now.

"But, I'm glad it was good." He says, referring to last night now. Ash chuckles a little and nods.

"It was." She assures him. "Well, I'm okay." She says. "I was just trying to do some research on the Skinwalkers, see what I can dig up." She says, sitting down on her bed again.

"Find much?" He asks.

"Not really, something about inbreds but I think I'm in the wrong place." She says.

"These ones, they're just human, they use pelts of dog skin to shift into dogs, they blend in easily, posing as house pets." He says. "Even we can't smell the difference just like that, it's a cover."

"Why don't we just put them down then?" Ash asks.

"It's not that easy." Derek shakes his head.

Ash sighs, falling back onto her bed.

"They're like us, maybe even faster, not as strong though." Derek tells her.

Jade lets Derek go and walks wobbily over to Ash.

"This sucks. I just want to kill these motherf-" Jade cuts Ash off, sitting down right on her stomach. "Oh, shit, Jade." She groans, feeling her stomach squash under the toddler's butt.

Ash double takes when she sees how Derek's looking at them.

"Wait. Is that a smile?" She asks him, a smirk coming to her face.

"Shut up." Derek brushes it off, because he was smiling, he couldn't not.

"It was." Ash smiles widely now. "Hey..you have a dimple? I've been missing out." Ash says.

"Ash, stop talking." Derek says, flashing his eyes red at her half-heartedly.

"Yeah, you're _real_ scary, Big Bad Wolf." Ash teases him.

Derek raises his eyebrows at her. He lifts Jade off of her, setting the young girl down on the floor.

"Go play, Jade." He tells her.

Jade walks over to her stuffed toys, easily becoming distracted by them.

"Don't get all shy now-" But it's Derek that cuts her off this time, stealing the rest of the words from her mouth by kissing her.

Ash chuckles, kissing him back. So much for shy.

She rolls them over so she's on top of Derek. He sees the teasing but challenging glint in her eye so he flips them, pinning her down underneth him easily.

"Now what?" He asks her.

Ash tries to hide her smile, biting her bottom lip.

 _Knock, knock, knock_

They both pause.

"Door." Jade says, picking up more and more words every day.

Derek lets Ash go, falling down onto the bed beside her.

"Door, Ash." Jade reminds her when she doesn't get up.

"Yeah." Ash says. She kisses Derek again quickly as she climbs over him to get off the bed. "I got it, come on." Ash says, taking Jade's hands and letting the young girl lead the way down to the front door.

Derek follows them down the stairs as well. Ash lets Jade go to answer the door but the toddler follows her anyway while Derek sits down on the sofa.

Ash opens the door, revealing a man dressed in a policeman's uniform. Her face falls a little, unsure what this is.

"Miss Ash Piper McCall?" The man asks her.

"Yeah..that's me." Ash nods hesitantly.

"Court hearing date has been settled. 2 days from now." He tells her, passing her a letter.

Ash is relieved it's about the court hearing. Even if she hasn't done anything bad, her memories of police officer's coming to her home looking specifically for her normally ended in a night in a jail cell or a lecture in Sheriff Stilinski's office.

"Do you know what they found at the house?" Ash asks him, hoping for a little insight into the case.

"Sorry, ma'am. I'm just the messenger for today." He says to her. "But I've been informed Officer Dayton is investigating that matter as we speak." He tells her. Ash nods.

"Um..thanks." She says. The man smiles and walks away. Ash slides the door shut again, looking down at the letter.

"You okay?" Derek asks her when she doesn't say anything.

"Yeah." Ash nods. "Just..everything's decided in _2 days_." She says. "That's really soon." She says, looking up at him.

He can see the nervousness in her eyes. He can see she's a little scared.

"You're not gonna lose, Ash." Derek says, walking over to her and Jade.

"No, I'm not." She says, and for the first time she actually believes she is going to win. Because she is, she's not letting Rafael take Jade, no matter what.

"You're not." Derek backs her up.

Ash nods, feeling some of that nervousness, some of that fear, slip away.

"I go up." Jade says, standing between Ash and Derek, looking up at the latter. "Up." She says, holding her arms up.

Derek looks at Ash and Ash shrugs. Derek goes with it, lifting Jade up.

"Look." Jade says, touching his face. She pokes at his stubble carefully, not used to the prickly feeling. "Like a hedgehog." She says.

Ash can't help but smile, showing teeth and all, as she watches Jade with Derek.

Derek finds he isn't tense as the girl touches him, as he expected to be. He must trust her, well, as much as you can trust an almost 2 year old.

"Like I said, she likes you." Ash says, touching the footsie on Jade's onesie. She looks up, meeting Derek's eyes.

"Good." He says, looking between both McCalls.

"Derek?" Isaac calls out, knocking on the McCall loft door. Both adults look over at the door.

"Isaac's staying home to help with research. I should get back." Derek says.

Ash nods, taking Jade from his arms.

"I'll come by later with Scott and Stiles, we'll help out." Ash says.

"Okay." Derek nods.

Ash steps closer to him. She brings her hand up to take his chin into her hand and hold it. He looks at her, waiting for her next move. Ash leans forward and smooches him.

"See you soon." She says, letting him go.

"Ew." Jade says, screwing her face up.

Ash chuckles and Derek smiles a little. He scruffs Jade's hair before leaving, going back to his own loft.

"Yucky." Jade says, covering her own mouth.

"Yeah, you remember that when boys are trying to kiss you." Ash says to her, dreading the thought of Jade getting involved with males when she's older. Ash doesn't really realise, but Jessie was right, she is _definitely_ a mother bear.

..

"Where were you?" Derek looks up from the book he was engrossed in, researching from. He looks up at his Uncle upon hearing his voice.

Peter looks at him expectantly, awaiting a reply.

"I just asked you where you were, just now." Peter repeats when he doesn't get a reply.

"Yeah, I heard you." Derek says, looking back down at his book, finding his place and starting to read again, trying to ignore Peter.

"You were with Ash, weren't you?" Peter asks, sitting down opposite his nephew. He knows the answer but he wants to hear Derek say it.

Derek sighs and looks up from the book, looking at Peter with a cocked frown.

"You sent Isaac over to get me, so you know I was with her." Derek says, knowing Isaac came by Peter's accord, not his own.

"Did you stay the night?" Peter asks him.

"Why do you care?" Derek asks.

"I'll take that as a 'yes'." Peter decides.

"Yeah, I did stay the night." He admits. "So what?" He asks bitterly.

"She's making you soft, that's what." Peter says with a disapproving look.

"You don't know what you're talking about." Derek says, shaking his head.

"What I mean is-"

"No, I'm telling you that you don't know shit about whatever me and her have." Derek snaps but keeps his voice down as to not attract Isaac over. "Stay out of it, I'm not kidding, Peter. Back off." Derek says.

Peter sits back in his seat, crossing his arms over his chest. He just looks at his nephew, analysising him.

"This pack isn't your family, not like our's used to be. You're the alpha, act like it." Peter says.

Derek's nostrils flare angrily, because if there's one person that shouldn't ever have a say in how an alpha should act, it's Peter. And for Derek, this pack is his family.

But before he can say anything, or the two Hale's 'conversation' can turn ugly, Isaac walks over, a stack of books in his arms.

"I found these." Isaac says, putting them down on the table. "They might have something in them about Skinwalkers." He says, taking the seat at the end of the table, between both Hales.

Isaac pauses, seeing the way Peter and Derek are looking at each other.

"Everything okay?" He asks, looking to his alpha for an answer, not Peter.

"Yeah, Isaac. Everything's fine." Derek says, looking away from Peter to look at Isaac.

Isaac nods and takes a book off the pile for himself to look at.

Derek glances over at Peter once more before looking down at his book again.

Peter exhales sharply and takes a book to read off the pile as well.

Isaac glances between them Uncle and nephew one more time, knowing something's wrong but he doesn't know what. He only studies them for a couple more seconds before reading his book again.

..

Stiles nuzzles his nose into Jessie's cheek as they walk, arms around each other's torsos, with Scott up to the lofts.

Ash text Scott, told him to bring Stiles over because they needed to go to Derek's to help with research. They've been trying to find some kind of Archillis Heel, some kind of weakness, on these things but so far, _nada_.

Ash walks out of their loft, holding Jade in her arms.

"Hey." She nods to the group of teenagers as they walk over to her. She notices how lovey-dovey Jessie and Stiles seem to be, and she's happy that they're happy.

"You heading over to Derek's now?" Scott asks her.

"Yeah." Ash nods.

"Okay, let's go then." Scott says.

They all walk across the hall together.

They're surprised to find Derek downstairs, at the table with a book, by himself.

"Where is everyone?" Stiles asks him. Even if he's terrified of Derek, he doesn't let Jessie go, or move away from her. He's happily got his arm around her waist and she's happily got her arm around his.

"Upstairs, in the library." Derek says, looking up at them. He's about to comment on the new couple's positions but both seem happy so he keeps it to himself.

"Why aren't you?" Jessie asks him.

"Peter." He says, only giving that explaination. But that's all Jessie needs. Jessie nods.

"Come on, let's go help out." Jessie says, looking at the others. And Jessie has a couple choice words for Peter as well.

Scott and Stiles start to follow her but Ash doesn't.

"Ash?" Scott says.

"Yeah, I'll be up in a sec. I just gotta get Jade something to drink." She lies easily, her eyes looking over at the stressed alpha.

Scott nods and jogs back up to Jessie and Stiles, all three of them going into the library.

Ash waits until she hears the door close before going over to sit down beside Derek.

"Go on, I'll be back in a minute." Jessie says to Scott and Stiles. Scott goes off but Stiles pauses.

"Jess..what are you thinking of doing?" Stiles asks, knowing by the look on her face that she's up to no good.

"I just need to have a little chat with my Uncle." Jessie says.

"Jess.." Stiles says.

"No violence, I promise." She says. Stiles looks at her skeptically. "I won't even touch him, cross my heart." She says.

"Yell out if you need me." Stiles says before kissing her. He follows after Scott and Jessie goes looking for Peter.

When she finds him, Isaac's sitting down with him, both of them reading.

"Isaac, go find Scott and Stiles." Jessie says. Isaac and Peter look up at her.

"What?" Isaac asks, confused.

"You should go and find the boys." She says, giving him a pointed look.

Isaac looks between her and Peter before nodding. He stands up and takes his book off the table. Jessie gives him a thankful nod for the cooperation as he passes her.

"What can I help you with, Jessie?" Peter asks her.

"Cut the shit, Peter." She says harshly, walking over to him, leaning on the table. "I don't know what you're playing, but leave Derek the _hell_ alone." She says.

"Oh, did big brother come crying to you?" Peter asks her mockingly.

Jessie thinks of wrapping her hands around his throat but she promised Stiles she wouldn't touch him.

"No, he didn't." Jessie says. "But I'm warning you, don't try to twist him up. He's not like you, he never will be. We like him for that." She says.

"What are you gonna do, Jessie? Huh?" Peter asks, sick of taking either Hale's attitude. "You think you could kill me? You think you're fast enough, or smart enough, to do that?" Peter asks her.

"What I do know is that if you hurt my family, I will find away to bury your ass for good, dead or alive." She threatens in a low voice. She glares at him for a few moments, looking him dead in the eye, before pulling back and walking away to find the boys.

"Everything go okay?" Stiles asks as soon as he sees her.

"Yeah. Perfect." Jessie says, sitting down with them on the floor, sitting closer to Stiles so she can read with him.

Downstairs, the two adults, and Jade, still sit in silence even though the books before them have long lost their attention. Even Jade's half-asleep in Ash's arms, her head leant on Ash's chest.

"This thing with Peter.." Ash starts, breaking the silence. Derek looks at her. "Has it got anything to do with this thing with us?" She asks him, looking at him as well.

Derek takes a moment before answering her.

"It's been building for awhile." He says, not wanting to weight her down even more with this, it's between him and Peter anyway. "It's about me being the alpha. He doesn't think I'm doing it the way I should be."

"And what way does he think you should be doing it?" Ash asks him.

"No ties, no friendships, no relationships,-" His eyes lock with her's for a moment before he looks away again. "-no family." He finishes.

"That's bullshit." Ash says. "No, I don't know what it's like, but having nothing is what turned Peter into a monster. And that's not you, Derek, it never will be." She tells him.

"I don't know if that's true." He says.

"It is true. You are not your Uncle." Ash says. "You will never be what he was, not ever."

"I really hope not." Derek says quietly, looking down at his hands. The hands that _killed_ Peter. The hands that held Allison's mother as he bit her in self-defense. The hands that held Erica, Isaac and Boyd as he gave them the bite. The hands that hurt Scott awhile back. And, most recently, the hands that keep finding themselves glued to Ash's body.

"Hey, we think we found something useful." Scott says, coming halfway down the stairs.

Derek and Ash both snap out of their thoughts and look over at Scott, giving him their attention.

"C'mon." He says.

Both adults get up and walk over to the younger male, following him up to the library.

..

Turns out, what Scott thought they found wasn't anything useful. He looked disappointed but it's not his fault.

It's been a _long_ time, as in _hundreds_ of years, since these things were around, Derek was convinced they'd been wiped out a long time ago. But they'll find something.

Stiles returns to the McCall loft with Scott, since they haven't spent some 'bro' time together in awhile.

Ash has to leave to go home too, to bring Jade back to make her dinner before she puts her down to bed for the night.

Isaac goes to his room to study, he has a English test coming up, and English was never his strong suit but he's trying to do well.

"Where's Ash?" Peter asks when he walks down from the library to only find Derek, no Ash with him like Peter expected.

"She took her sister home." Derek says.

Peter nods. He would have left it at that but Derek speaks up again.

"She needed dinner then to go to bed, she was fussing." Derek says.

Peter shakes his head, knowing, just by that statement, that Derek's already in too deep for Peter's liking.

Peter walks over to the table, sitting down in a chair. He looks over at the alpha standing in front of the big window, looking out of it.

"Where are you going with that, Derek?" Peter asks him. Derek glances at him. "With Ash." He clarifies.

"Nowhere." Derek says, because it's none of Peter's business.

"I don't believe that." Peter says, seeing right through his lie, not that Derek knows exactly where that's going. "I've seen the two of you together, I've seen how you act around her. She's got ties in you and you know it-"

"You know what?" Derek cuts him off, turning his head to face Peter. "I don't give a shit what you think. What I do, what Ash does, it's not your business."

"Well, maybe it needs to become someone else's business, like Scott's for example." Peter threatens, tilting his head a little. "I'm sure Scott would like to know that his alpha is fucking his sister behind everyone's backs."

"Keep your mouth shut." Derek warns him with a growl. "Stay the hell out of _our_ business, it's my last warning." He says before turning and walking away.

"You're an alpha, be an alpha, not a boyfriend." Peter says.

Derek ignores him, about to leave the loft because he can't handle having Peter in his ear about living up to this goddamn alpha status any longer.

Then Peter opens his mouth again, throwing Derek into a much deeper level of anger.

"McCall's _pussy_ is clouding who you are, Derek." Peter says, standing up.

Derek stops. He turns around to face Peter with a wicked glare. He walks back over to his Uncle. He doesn't even hesitate, he grabs Peter by the throat, pinning him againist the wall.

"If your ever talk that way about Ash again, I'll slit your throat and make sure you can't _ever_ come back again." Derek warns him with red eyes, his voice dangerously calm.

He presses down on Peter's throat roughtly, before shoving Peter away from him. He leaves the loft uninterrupted this time, going down to his car with plans to spend the night driving around aimlessly with only the company of his own thoughts.

..

..

 **Of course Peter's going to meddle with Derek and Ash, he just loves to cause trouble. He's far from done too.. Favourite, follow and review!**


	32. Another

**Shout out to:**

 ***Serena Sterling: No, he really doesn't. Derek will have his time to give some back to Peter ;) You're welcome and thanks!**

 ***Maxine Hale: Aw, they do, don't they? I don't know about a Dashlee baby but a Stessie baby has crossed my mind.. When I think of how Scott will react, I think about my own situation. I have one brother and sister, both younger, I think of how they would react, like Scott to Ash. And honestly? The reaction wouldn't be too good :P**

 ***TheHungryRainbow: Hehe, he can!**

 ***Tesla424: I can promise there will be a time where Derek explodes! Yay, I try to make her a little cutie pie :3**

 **..**

Ash wakes up really early the next day. Barely before dawn.

She slips out of bed, checking on Jade in her crib. She sits down on the end of her bed and blows out a breath. She knows she's getting nervous because tomorrow is the next court hearing, the final one, the one that decides _everything_. She's not going to be able to go back to sleep.

She goes into her handbag, grabbing a smoke and tucking it behind her ear and putting her zippo in her back pocket.

She lifts Jade out of her crib so carefully, not waking her. She tiptoes down to Scott's room, going in. She quietly places the toddler down beside him, she doesn't want to leave Jade in her crib in the room alone while she goes off.

Ash is about to leave the room when her eyes catch something familiar. A photo album, on Scott's desk. She walks over to it, taking it into her hands. She decides to bring it with her.

Ash leaves the house as quietly as she can, taking the many stairs up to the roof.

When she gets up there, the sun's starting to peek it's head. She walks over to the fan box she sat upon with Derek awhile back, and jumps up, sitting on it again. She takes the cigarette from behind her ear and puts it between her lips. She takes the zippo from her back pocket and lights her smoke. She crosses her legs and puts the photo album over her lap, opening it to the first page.

She looks down at the photo of her mother, heavily pregnant, with a soft smile. By how young she is, Ash can tell her mother is pregnant with her, it's her first pregnancy. She starts to look through the pages, seeing herself as a baby, then a kid. Then her mother's pregnant with Scott. Then it's Ash and Scott together, Ash holding her baby brother. Then it's how the two McCalls blossom, until Melissa's pregnant again, with Jade. Ash goes through the next photos slower, a lump forming in her throat.

Ash blows out a long cloud of cigarette smoke, her eyes watering as she looks at the sun that's rising in a brillant display of pinks, yellows and oranges. She'd give anything to have her Mom back, _anything_.

She looks back down at the photos. A single tear drops onto one photo and Ash quickly wipes it away, wiping her eyes as well.

At the Stilinski house, Jessie comes out of Stiles' bathroom, just wearing one of his plaid shirts.

Derek came home but left again to 'run errands', Jessie knows he needed some space, she could tell by the look on his face but didn't push him to tell her why.

So, Jessie snuck out of the house as soon as Derek left again, and she came to spend the morning with Stiles before they have to go to school.

"That's a good look for you." Stiles says, smiling at her softly.

"You think?" She asks him, looking down at her outfit.

He nods and holds out his hand. She takes it and he moves closer to her as she gets into bed with him, cuddling close to him.

"Are we crazy, Stiles?" Jessie asks. "For being together when there's too much other crap to deal with right now?" She asks, looking at him. It's quiet for a moment as they just lay in bed, Stiles' arms around her and her head on his chest.

Stiles looks down, meeting her blue eyes with his brown ones.

"I'll answer that later." Stiles says because hell, he doesn't even know. Jessie nods.

Stiles comes forward and kisses her gently. Jessie grips his hip, pulling him over her as their kiss deepens. Jessie grabs the bottom of his shirt and pulls it up. Stiles realises what she's doing and pulls back so she can take it the rest of the way off. Jessie guides his hands to the bottom of her shirt, nodding permission for him to take it off.

"Are you sure, we can wait?" Stiles asks her, seeing where this is heading.

It's only been 2, maybe 3 weeks tops, since they started to date but they have much _stronger_ feelings for each other now, one's they can't hide from, ones they don't want to hide from. Yeah, they should probably wait, not rush things, but Jessie gave herself up regrettably to a guy she met in a bar at the beginning of the year, on the anniversary of the fire. It's not something she's proud of, but it's done, it's in the past. She really likes Stiles, she wants him to know how much. And Stiles, Stiles just wants Jessie, wants her to be his _always_. Sometimes, with feelings like that, time doesn't matter, quality of emotion, of care for the other person, does. Everyone's different.

"I'm sure." Jessie nods. "I really like you, Stiles." She says.

"I really like you too." Stiles says. He lifts her shirt off and then kisses her again.

As her hands reach for his pajama pants, Stiles kisses her whole face, reaching for the zip on her jeans. He sweetly kisses her eyelids, her cheeks, forehead, nose and finally, her lips.

..

"Hey." Scott says in Derek's direction as he steps into the loft.

Scott and Isaac are going to walk to school today. Stiles text Scott to say he'd be late since he's with Jessie so Scott followed the 'Bro-Code', they'll walk and give them more time together.

"Hey." Derek says. He frowns a little when he sees Scott's holding Jade but he has his school bag on. "What's going on?"

"I need a favour." Scott says. "Ash took off somewhere this morning before I was up, left Jade with me." He says.

That makes Derek frown even more. Ash can't be off on her own, not when there's things out there hurting people, _killing_ people.

"But I have to get to school. Could you..watch her?" Scott asks him. "Just until Ash is back, she won't be long, she knows I have to leave, she just doesn't know I'm leaving earlier because we're walking." Scott says.

"Uh..yeah. Yeah, I'll watch her." Derek nods. He doesn't have much of a choice, there's noone else Scott trusts to leave Jade with.

"Thank you." Scott says, handing Jade to him.

Derek takes the girl from him and Jade smiles up at him.

"Hedgehog." She says, touching his face.

Scott and Isaac refuse to laugh because they know Derek would kill them, but it's hard because the bearded grump is having his cheeks squeezed by a 19 month old, while she calls him a hedgehog.

"Not a word." Derek enforces it, looking at the two teenaged boys.

"Okay..we should get going." Scott says, looking at Isaac.

"Wait." Derek says. "Have either of you seen Jessie?" Derek asks them. "I thought she'd be with you."

"No." Isaac shakes his head. "I think I heard her getting up pretty early this morning though." He says.

Scott swallows, needing to lie right here on the spot to save Stiles' and Jessie's collective asses. He knows Derek knows about them, hell, everyone does now, but Scott knows Derek probably wouldn't like what they could be doing right now. Scott knows first love, him and Allison couldn't keep their hands off each other from that first date, and they barely knew each other to start with. Scott knows that is a possibility with Jessie and Stiles right now so he's not letting Derek go after them.

"Uh..yeah, she left early. Study group at school, I think she said." Scott tells Derek, lying as perfectly as he can.

"When did she tell you this?" Derek asks him. "She never mentioned it to me."

"She text me, last night, asked if I was going. That would have been why she didn't mention it, she didn't know she was going until late last night." Scott covers for her. He definitely can't keep lying to Derek. It's _terrifying_.

"Okay." Derek nods, trusting his word.

And that makes Scott feel bad, him and Derek can finally trust each other and Scott's lying to him. Little does Scott know, Derek's lying to him too, about Ash.

"Isaac." Scott says.

Derek watches as the two boys leave the loft to go to school. Derek looks at Jade, the girl now engrossed in his eyebrows. He bounces her on his knee a little, like he used to with Jessie when she was young.

"Playing babysitter, or is she calling you 'Daddy' now?" Peter asks, coming into the loft.

"Piss off." Derek says, trying to keep calm for Jade's sake. The idea of killing Peter again in becoming more and more appealing to Derek.

"What the hell are you doing, Derek?" Peter asks him.

Before he can say anything, Ash comes racing through the loft door.

"Jesus Christ." She sighs in relief, seeing Derek has Jade. She goes over to him, taking Jade into her own arms. "Oh, shit." She says, letting the worry roll off of her as she hugs Jade close to her.

Time just got away from her, then when she got back to the loft, it was empty, no Jade. She panicked, came to Derek for help but found her with him instead.

"It's okay, she's fine. Scott brought her over, said you took off. I said I'd watch her 'till you got back." Derek tells her.

"Thank you." Ash says, kissing him quickly. Peter's eyebrows raise as he watches the pair. "I didn't realise what the time was." She says, kissing Jade's head now.

"Yuck." Jade says, covering her mouth like she did the last time she saw them kiss.

Ash sits down on the chair beside Derek.

"Hey, she's alright. Scott had her, then I did. She's safe." Derek assures Ash, seeing her brow's still furrowed.

Ash nods, letting herself relax now that she knows Jade is definitely safe and she's right here in her arms.

Derek can feel how Peter watches them, judges them, Ash is too worried about Jade to notice or care, but Derek feels it. He looks back up at his Uncle.

"What are you want, Peter?" Derek asks him.

"You know, noone says 'Good morning' anymore." Peter muses. Derek glares at him, not wanting to have Peter near him, or Ash after the things he said. "Well, maybe that's because there's another dead body." He says.

"What?" Ash asks him, her face falling. Since the Skinwalkers attacked Derek and the pack, they haven't hurt anyone, Ash hoped that was the end of it until they found a way to kill them. She was wrong, obviously.

"Another dead body." Peter repeats.

"Do you wanna be more specific?" Derek asks him.

"I don't know much. I know it was a female, they found her early hours this morning." Peter says.

That sets an alarm off in Derek's head.

"Where?" He asks his Uncle. "Where?!" Derek demands when Peter doesn't answer fast enough.

"Not far from the school." Peter says.

"Derek..what's going on?" Ash asks him, seeing he's obviously become stressed.

"I have to go." Derek says, getting up. The only thing he can think off is what Scott and Isaac said this morning, how Jessie left at early hours to study at the school.

"Derek, what-" Ash starts to ask. Ash's eyes widen when Derek kisses her, right in front of Peter too. Even Peter raises his eyebrows.

"I'll explain later." He says, rushing out the door, leaving Ash and Peter both confused.

It's quiet for a few long moments before Jade breaks it.

"Yucky." Jade says, covering her mouth again.

Ash smiles down at her, chuckling a little.

"Hmm, you two seem to be getting serious." Peter comments. Ash looks up at Peter.

"We're just hanging out, Peter. Relax." Ash says.

"Kissing goodbye, staying over, babysitting. Settling down, maybe, hmm?" He asks her.

"Like I said, we're just hanging out." Ash says.

"Yet, I'm still the only one that knows about it." Peter points out. Ash sighs.

"What are you trying to do, Peter?" Ash asks him, knowing he must have some sort of agenda in mind. "Is this about the alpha thing? You think I'm distracting him or something?"

"You're a distraction from his responsibilities as an alpha." Peter says.

"And what's that? Being cold-hearted and having noone?" She asks.

"That's part of it, yes." Peter nods. "He's alpha to a pack of teenagers and humans. He's delusional if he thinks any of you could possibly stop this pack of Skinwalkers." Peter says, shaking his head in disapproval.

"Derek is the reason why we _will_ stop these things. He's the one training the betas, he's the one that killed one of those Skinwalkers, he's the one leading this pack. Not _you_." Ash defends, looking Peter in the eye.

"If you had half a brain, you'd break things off with him now, before either of you get hurt." Peter says.

"Are you threatening me?" Ash asks him. "Because I don't respond well to threats." She says, narrowing her eyes.

"It's not a threat, it's someone telling you the truth. You and Derek? That's a _bad_ idea. One of you need to start thinking clearly about it."

"Well.." Ash says, looking away from Peter. "It's not like I haven't messed up with guys before, right?" She says, a frown coming to her face. She knows Derek's not Jacob, but she doesn't like having it thrown back in her face either.

"You're very strong-willed, Ash. Not only hot-headed, but hard-headed too." Peter says.

Ash looks up at him in confusion, because that sounded like a compliment..in it's own odd way.

"Shed some of that on this thing with Derek. Let him go, Ash." Peter says.

"No." Ash shakes her head. "It's got nothing to do with you. Until he doesn't want me, I'm not gonna push him away just because you said so." She says, holding strong.

"And you're just wrapped around his finger, aren't you?" He asks her with a scoff. "He'll find another when he's bored with you, leave you with a broken heart and a broken pack." He says.

Ash clenches her teeth but doesn't have anything to say back to that.

She walks straight out of the loft, holding Jade close to her, she doesn't want to hear anymore.

Ash goes back to her loft. She goes upstairs and starts working a hack, looking into the newest murder.

She's quiet, she just lets Jade play with her toys on the bed. Ash looks over at Jade every couple minutes, checks on her, then goes back to her screen.

Peter's words ring in her ears and it bothers her more than she thought it would. She tells Peter they're just 'hanging out' but deep down, Ash feels more than that, even if she won't admit it. And it frightens her to think one day she might wake up with an empty bed and an empty loft across the hall.

..

Ash pulls back into the parking lot after dropping Jade off at the hotel with her Aunt and Uncle, so they can spend some time together.

That's when she spots Derek's Camaro that wasn't there when she left.

She parks and gets out, locking her car behind her. She walks over to the Camaro in the garage, finding the owner working on it.

"You thought it was Jessie." Ash says, alerting Derek of her presence.

Derek comes out from under the hood, looking up at her. He looks down at the box wrench in his hand before he nods, looking back up at her.

"Yeah, I did." He says.

"Is she okay?" Ash asks him, leaning againist the garage wall.

"Yeah. She's fine, she's at school." He says.

"So, you're okay then?" She asks. Derek frowns a little, confused. "You just..scared me a little back there, you know, running off like that."

"Oh." He says, like he's surprised him running off had that effect on her. But pleasantly surprised. "Sorry, I just had to make sure she was safe." He says.

"No, don't apologise." Ash shakes her head. "It's okay, I understand."

"Well, was everything okay, after I left?" He asks, looking up at her again.

"What do you mean?" Ash asks him.

"When I left you alone with Peter." Derek clarifies.

Ash doesn't answer, she just nods, because it wasn't really _okay_ , what he said to her actually hurt her. But she's not admitting that to Derek.

"I dug up what I could." Ash tells him, changing the subject.

Derek opens his mouth to say something because he can tell Ash just brushed him off, but she speaks again before he can.

"The file's at home. Just who the girl was and her job, just basic stuff, I still can't find a real pattern though." She says.

"Yeah, I don't think there is one." Derek says. He eyes her but Ash won't meet his eyes. He lets it go for now, knowing this is more important. "They're here for something."

"Do you know what that something might be?" Ash asks, walking over to him.

"My best guess? They want Beacon Hills." He says, shutting the hood of his Camaro and looking at her. "I mean, look at the last year, Ash. All these 'animal attacks', they can slide into this town easily, turn it into a feeding ground and still have people only looking for a mountain lion." He sighs. "I don't know how we take them down, I don't know how we stop them." He finally admits his struggles out-loud, trusting Ash with them.

"You killed one, Derek. We know we can kill them." Ash tries to soothe him.

"And I almost died too." He reminds her.

Ash sighs, remembering how torn-up he was when she found him.

"We can't just line them up and kick them off a cliff." Derek says. "I mean, I don't even know how many there are. Three came at me and I killed one. Even if they're quick, they're not dumb enough to kill another person with only one other Skinwalker to watch their back." He says. "There can't just be two left."

"So there's more of them?" Ash says.

"Yeah, a whole pack probably." He says.

Ash sighs. She thinks back to what Peter said to her, about Derek being delusional to think they can stop them. Then her mind, her _stupid_ mind, slips to the other things he said, the things that hurt her the most.

 _He'll find another when he's bored with you, leave you with a broken heart and a broken pack_

Derek must sense Ash's souring mood because he stops wiping the grease from his hands and looks over at her as she sits down on the concrete steps, her own eyes in her lap as she fidgets. Derek knew something was off about her from when she came down to see him, something's on her mind, something's troubling her.

"What's wrong?" He asks her.

"Nothing." Ash shakes her head, but she's frowning with a furrowed brow and looking in her lap still.

"Is it Jade?" Derek asks, knowing that was a lie. "Where is she?" He asks.

"She's fine, she's spending some time with our Aunt and Uncle." Ash tells him.

"If it's not Jade, then what's wrong?" Derek asks again.

Ash looks up at him, her eyes grazing over his whole body, right down to the grease still on both of his hands. Ash doesn't think she's ever seen anything more attractive.

"Ash?" He says.

Ash just shakes her head, looking down in her lap again. She doesn't want to tell him what Peter said, why she's a little upset. They're not even a real couple, she shouldn't feel this way about the possibility of losing him. He's not her's to begin with. If he did find another..that's his choice, not her's.

Derek wipes the last of the grease off his hands onto the dirtied rag and walks over to her. He looks at her but she still won't meet his eyes, still wearing that frown and biting at her lip anxiously. He doesn't really know how to help wipe that look from her face so he takes his pack of smokes from his pocket and a lighter. He lights one and takes a puff before handing it to Ash as he sits down beside her.

She takes it and brings it to her lips, sucking down on it.

"I just have to ask.." Ash says, handing the cigarette back to Derek.

He takes it from her fingers, looking at her to go on.

"Is this-" She says, gesturing between them. "-going somewhere?" She asks him. "I mean, do you want it too?" She asks him shyly.

"Do you?" Derek asks her.

"Shit..I don't know what I want right now. Everything's twisted up, I feel like I can't even think straight." Ash sighs.

"This doesn't sound like you, Ash." Derek says, handing her back the cigarette. "And there's only one other person who knows what we've been doing." He says, realising what her dull mood is about now.

Peter can put even the happiest person in a sour mood, if he had a specialty, making people feel crappy would be it.

Ash doesn't say anything, just takes a drag from the smoke, looking down at her hands again.

"What did Peter say to you?" He asks her, knowing it's him that's been in her ear.

"Come look at the file, see if something sticks out to you." Ash says, not answering his question as she gets to her feet. She puts the cigarette out, crushing it under her combat boot.

"You know, I'm gonna ask Peter myself, right?" Derek asks her as she walks away from him.

"Do what you gotta, Derek." Ash throws over her shoulder, still walking away.

Derek sighs and locks his car with the beep of his remote before following after her, his mind going through the million different things Peter could have said to the girl. And the million different things Derek might do to Peter to get him back for upsetting her too.

..

..

 **Peter is causing trouble! But everyone has a breaking point ;) Favourite, follow and review!**


	33. Unwanted Face

**Shout out to:**

 ***Serena Sterling: Yes, alot of questions! You'll have answers soon enough! You're welcome and thanks!**

 ***Tesla424: He's her big hedgehog :3 Hehe!**

 ***Maxine Hale: Oh, I like that, very clever!**

 ***TheHungryRainbow: If by Stormcloaks, you mean Skinwalkers then yes! Soon enough!**

 **..**

Derek looks down at the papers, reading over them. He sits at the table while Ash aimlessly paces the room.

"Ash." He says, looking up at the girl.

"What?" She asks him, still pacing the room.

"Sit down." He says, her footsteps and frown are distracting him from the words on the paper.

"Why?" She asks, still walking over to the table and back to the sofa. Table. Sofa. Table. Sofa.

His eyes follow her, completely distracting him from what he's supposed to be reading. Well, what he's _attempting_ to read.

"Ash, _stop_." He says, dropping the papers on the table because he can't concentrate when all he can hear is the tapping of her combat boots as the heel hits the floor.

"I'm thinking." She says.

"Well, sit and think." He says, catching her hand when she passes him.

Ash makes an annoyed sound and pulls her hand out of his.

"I don't want to sit and think." She sighs, about to walk away from him again.

Derek sighs too, wrapping his hands around her hips, pulling her into his lap.

"What the hell are you doing?" Ash asks him, squirming and trying to get back up.

"Firstly, stop wiggling all over my lap." He says, grabbing her thighs to still her before this takes a much _different_ turn. "Secondly, what the hell's going on with you?" He asks her.

Ash stops but doesn't answer him.

"What did Peter say to you?" He tries this again.

"He didn't say anything to me." Ash tries to lie.

"If you don't tell me, I'm gonna make him tell me." Derek says.

"Go ahead, do what you like." Ash says. She tries to get up but he holds her down. Ash turns her head to look at him, raising her eyebrows. "You better let me go."

"What are you gonna do if I don't?" He tests her.

Ash narrows her eyes and leans forward until her lips are millimetres from his. He leans forward, thinking she's going to kiss him. She puts her fingertips to his chin, stopping him.

"I said, let me go." Ash says to him.

Derek sighs, taking his hands off her so she can get to her feet again. They only have a moment to look at each other in frustration before the door opens, Scott coming in.

Scott dumps his bag on the floor and looks up, spotting them both.

"What's going on?" Scott asks them. "Where's Jade?"

"Safe, with Auntie." Ash tells him, sitting down on the other sofa. "As for this,-" She says, looking over at the papers on the table. "-there's been another murder." She says.

"Shit." Scott sighs, sitting down at the table as well. "Really?"

"Yeah." Derek nods, pushing the file in front of the younger man. "A woman, this morning." He says.

Scott leans right back in his seat, sighing heavily.

"Yeah, I know." Ash nods, seeing the weariness in Scott's eyes, he wants this is be finished as much as she does.

"We need to do something about this." Scott says, looking at Derek.

"I know." Derek says. "The second we find something, I'm going after them." He assures Scott.

"Me too then." Scott says. All three of them turn towards the door when there's a knock.

"It'll be Auntie, bringing Jade back." Ash says, looking over at the front door.

Derek makes the mistake of looking at her as she gets up, his eyes becoming distracted as he looks at her legs and ass in those tight jeans, the ass that was in his lap only moments ago.

"Hey." Scott snaps in a hushed whisper, snapping his fingers in Derek's face.

Derek gets his attention dragged away from her as he looks at Scott.

"Were you just checking my sister out?"

"No." Derek says.

Scott doesn't hear his heartbeat tick but he still frowns a little. Derek knows how to focus his heartbeat. Scott keeps seeing odd moments like that between Derek and Ash, but it's never gone any further as far as Scott knows. Scott shakes those thoughts away, knowing how absurd that theory is. _Derek_ and _Ash_? Seriously? They hated each other for how long, Scott doesn't think they could ever be more than friends.

Ash opens the door, covering her mouth as she yawns. She makes a strangled sound in her throat when it's not her Aunt at the door, her heart racing.

Scott smells him, his head snapping to the side. He flies out of his chair, storming over to them. He puts himself in front of Ash, blocking her from Rafael's reach.

Derek realises too, getting up and going to them too. He puts his hands on Ash's waist, moving her back a little so he can step in front of her and up to Scott's side, helping shield the girl.

"I don't want any trouble, I'm just here to talk." Rafael says, holding his hands up.

"She has nothing to say to you. Go, _now_." Scott bites out, his wolf dangerously close to leaping out of him.

Derek's a little more composed due to experience, but he is just as mad.

"Give me 2 minutes." Rafael says, looking past the two males and at Ash. "Please, Ash."

She shakes her head, stepping back, wanting to get the hell away from him.

"Go." Scott says. He glares at Rafael before moving over to Ash.

With Scott out of the way, Rafael _attempts_ to take a step forward.

Derek quickly blocks his path, glaring wickedly at the man.

"Back off." Derek all but growls.

"What are you gonna do, Hale?" Rafael asks him, knowing exactly who this former delinquent is.

Ash and Scott look at the alpha, wondering what he is going to do.

Derek steps closer to him, so they're practically nose to nose.

"Huh?" Rafael taunts him.

Scott sees the alpha clench his fists tightly.

"Derek.." Scott says. "Don't."

Derek clenches his teeth, drawing his wolf back some after hearing Scott.

"You never touch her again." Derek says. " _Never_ again." He says.

Rafael's eyes shoot past Derek at his two children. He nods though, stepping back. He holds eye contact with the younger man for a few more seconds before backing off and leaving, knowing there's absolutely _no_ chance in _hell_ he's getting any time to talk to Ash while Scott and Derek are watching over her like goddamn guard dogs.

"You okay?" Scott asks Ash.

"I'm fine." She sighs, feeling her heartbeat start to even out slowly. "I-I just didn't expect that." She says, sitting down on the sofa, taking deep breaths.

Scott sits down beside her, putting his arm around her shoulders gently and leaning into her ear.

"Do you want me to go and get your inhaler?" Scott asks her quietly.

Derek hears what Scott asks her but pretends he doesn't. After all this time, he finally understands why there's a blue inhaler in her handbag, why she carries it around. Because she has panic attacks, just like Stiles does.

"No, no, it's okay." Ash shakes her head, exhaling shakily.

Derek frowns as she breathes insecurely, trying to calm herself down. He wishes he could go to her side, help. Even if he knew how to do that, he can't with Scott right there.

"Can you go pick-up Jade?" Ash asks Scott. She feels unsettled and uneasy, she wants her sister home now while she knows her father's _creeping_ about. Jeff and Hailey don't have 2 very mad werewolves to stand up to Rafael if he was to swing by their place too. "Please, Scott, bring her home." Ash says.

"Yeah." Scott nods. "Yeah, I'll do that." Scott says.

"My keys are on the kitchen counter." Ash tells him. "One scratch, and I will kill you." She reminds him though, because that's her baby.

Scott nods with a small smile, getting up to go into the kitchen.

"You okay?" Derek asks her.

"Yeah." Ash nods. "Thanks for that." She says.

"I wasn't kidding about what I said, he's not hurting you or your family again." Derek says.

Ash gives him a weak smile, thankful for the alpha's protective grasp on his pack members.

"I'll be back in 30 minutes, tops." Scott says. He kisses Ash's head and looks over at Derek, holding up a finger. "Look after her while I'm gone." He says. "You don't leave this loft, okay, please?"

"Yeah." Derek nods.

Scott slips out of the loft, knowing Ash needs Jade back with her right now after all that. She needs to know, with her own eyes, that Jade's fine and she's safe, just until Rafael disappears. How he's going to disappear, Scott's unsure of that right now. Either by the cops, or by him or one of the other wolves that are furious about what he did to Ash.

Ash lets out a breath, feeling herself becoming calm again, her heart not pounding in her throat anymore.

Derek just takes a shot at trying to help her. He sits down beside her, bringing his hand to her cheek.

Ash just looks at him as he takes her face into his hands, unsure what he's going to do.

He guides her forward, and Ash thinks he's going to try kiss her. But Derek knows that's a stupid move, she's clearly not looking for his affection in that way right now. He pulls her close and wraps his arms around her waist.

Ash sighs softly, resting her face in the crook of his neck as she hugs him back, holding the back of his shirt tightly, a feeling of safety washing over her.

"You're safe, Ash." Derek says.

Ash nods againist his neck, shutting her eyes and hugging him tighter, drawing from the security he's providing her with without even realising it.

..

"Hey, where were you?" Jessie asks when Derek walks back into the loft. Once Scott came back with Jade, Derek left the loft, deciding to give them the time together that they need.

"With Ash, just while Scott picked up Jade." Derek tells her. Derek sits down at the table with Jessie. He looks at her when she turns to face him.

"Speaking of Ash,-" Jessie says, making Derek's eyes snap to her. "-her final court hearing is tomorrow." Jessie says and Derek relaxes a little, because she has no idea what's brewed between him and Ash, no clue. "You two don't seem to wanna kill each other that much anymore,-" Derek could almost laugh at that, but he doesn't. "-and we went to the other one, so are we going to this one?" Jessie asks him.

"Yeah, we should be there to support their family, like a pack." Derek says and Jessie nods in agreement. Jessie feels like this pack is her family too, they all do, all but Peter. "I'm guessing you'll be going with Stiles?" He says with a slight frown. Just because he didn't blow up, doesn't mean he's completely okay with them being together. But Jessie does deserve to be happy, and if Stiles can be the one to give her that then Derek can back off a little bit. But if he does the opposite, Derek will _slaughter_ him, just like he promised he would.

"Don't be like that." Jessie says. "Besides, I'm not going with him. He's..coming with us." She says with a sheepish smile.

"Jesus Christ, you spring this on me, now you want me to be around it too?" Derek asks, face screwing up a little bit.

"That's for the support, Der." Jessie says sarcastically but she chuckles because she knows he'll always have her back, even if he's sometimes got a funny way of showing it. Jessie gets up, wanting to make something to eat.

"By the way." Derek says.

Jessie stops, turning to face him again.

"If you're gonna sneak out of the loft and go see Stiles when I'm not here, at least make sure you don't wake Isaac." He says knowingly, able to put the puzzle together once her and Stiles came clean.

"Heh." Jessie chuckles awkwardly, feeling her cheeks turn red.

Derek doesn't think he wants to know why she's blushing, he really hopes it's just because she's been caught, not because of something else.

"Sure." She nods before leaving, letting him to mule through his thoughts in peaceful silence.

But he doesn't achieve much peace and quiet.

"Hales, we're quite the secret-keepers lately, aren't we?" Peter says, walking down the stairs and sitting down at the table, right on the other end of Derek.

Derek glances up at Peter but doesn't answer him.

"You know, that really felt like the perfect opportunity to come clean about what you and Ash have been doing." Peter points out, looking down at his nails like they're more important than the conversation.

"I already told you, that's not your business, or your concern." Derek says.

"My business, no, it's not. But my concern, clearly, it is." Peter corrects him.

"No, it's not." Derek says. His eyes become angry as he locks them onto Peter's. "I don't know what you said to Ash, because she won't tell me, but for your sake, I'd make sure you never repeat those words to her again. I don't care what you think, Peter, leave Ash alone." Derek warns him.

A smirk comes to Peter's face and that only makes Derek angrier.

"When are you going to bite someone with at least a thumbs-worth of potential, Derek?" Peter asks him, deciding enough is enough, that he'll express his own version of the truth to his nephew, just like he did with Ash. "You remember our pack, how strong each member was, how each member held their own weight. Then there's _you_. You're babysitting one of your betas perminantly like you're his father, which you _never_ will be. And of course, you've got Doe-Eyes living across the hall with your new secret little girlfriend and that toddler, and you're trying to play house with them as well, aren't you? Trying to fit into a family that isn't your's to make up for the lack of your own..that's desperate, Derek, desperate and sad, really. They're a broken family, with no Mom or Dad, you'll never fit in with them. Even Stilinski, the guy probably screwing Jessie as much as you've been screwing Ash, is in your home on the regular. You used to want that kid dead, now you're in his pocket too." Peter lectures. "If you're not going to own up to your title, then hand it back to me, because right now, you don't deserve it. You don't deserve to share the power that once belonged to your mother, and if she were here, she'd say the exact same thing." He says distastefully.

Derek doesn't lash out on the spot though, he lets Peter finish. He can't really, because those words stung him in ways you can't imagine. He looks at his Uncle, trying to appear mad, but he knows Peter can see right through him, see the hurt he's caused him by saying those things.

"Get out." Derek says. When Peter doesn't move, Derek stands up. Peter stands up too, seeing he's crossed a line and pissed off his nephew. And he has, because Derek is _mad_ , those words hurt him, especially the ones about his mother. It was so much more than just a low blow from Peter.

Derek breathes out his nose in frustrated huffs, clenching his fists and glaring at Peter. He scowls, wanting to hurt something, _kill_ something. Make something feel the internal damage he feels. Make something feel the _pain_ he feels, every single day since the fire.

"Get out, before I kill you." Derek says, and he's not kidding around.

"You know, sooner or later, Ash's gonna end up dead because of _you_." Peter says. "And so will Jade-"

"Shut up." Derek says, getting angrier and angrier.

"And eventually, your precious baby sister-" Derek shoves the older wolf away from him, because bringing Jessie into it was out of line. It was hard enough to swallow when he brought up Ash and Jade, but Derek can't let Peter say those things about Jessie, not her, not his blood.

"Hey." Jessie frowns, seeing that as she walks out of the kitchen.

Much to both younger Hale's suprise, Peter actually shoves Derek back.

"Don't." Peter warns Derek.

"Stop it!" Jessie yells, seeing both wolves' eyes start to glow, one pair set blue, one pair set red.

But Jessie's plee is long forgotten as both wolves jump at each other.

Jessie steps back, knowing better than to get between them. Her wide eyes go back and forth between the two as they throw each other around, swiping with claws and biting with fangs. Jessie panics, darting out of the loft and across the hall to the McCall loft, the only people close enough that can actually help. And hopefully she'll find Scott, a werewolf that could risk getting between them without losing a limb.

"Scott?! Ash?!" She calls out, banging on the door.

Ash jogs over the stairs, hearing the girl banging at the door. She pulls it open, instantly frowning at the look on Jessie's face.

"Jessie? What's wrong?" Ash asks her. Then she hears a crash from across the hall, making her look in that direction. "What the hell is that?"

"It's Derek and Peter, please help me." Jessie tells her. "C'mon!" She says, running back over to her own loft.

And when Ash walks into the loft, she didn't expected this. They've all seen how Peter manipulates people, how he provokes Derek, how Derek puts up with his crap, but this.. They're going to kill each other if someone doesn't stop them.

Derek gets the upper hand, slamming Peter againist the wall and bringing his clawed hand up, ready to k-

"Ash, please stop them." Jessie cries, hiding her face againist Ash's arm.

"Derek, _stop_!" Ash yells.

Derek hears her, looking over at her. Him and Peter are both breathing heavily. Derek looks over at the two girls, feeling his anger drain from him when he sees the looks on their faces.

Jessie's in tears, turned away and hiding againist Ash, scared of what they were doing to each other.

And Ash just looks shocked, shocked that they'd both take it this far.

Blood drips from wounds on them both, from claws, from fangs.

"Derek.." Ash says, seeing the alpha's eyes are still angry red, _hurt_. She pulls away from Jessie, stepping closer to him. "Just let him go, it's okay." She coaxes, slowly getting closer to them.

Derek was just so blinded by anger, by a deep hurting rage that all he saw was red. And for a moment, he was going to kill Peter, again. But seeing the looks on the two girls' faces, the important woman in his life, he feels that anger slip away.

When Ash gets over to them, she gently wraps her hands around Derek's arm.

"Come on, it's over." She says softly, carefully guiding him back. Her own heart is in her throat because the last time someone was that angry around her, she ended up beaten and bloody. She knows Derek would never do that to her, but it still makes her tense and nervous.

Derek lets Ash pull him away from Peter, until there's a good few metres between them. He's still mad, there's still some of that anger inside him but for the most part, it's gone.

Peter straightens himself up, narrowing his eyes at Derek.

"You should have killed me." Peter says, shaking his head.

"Get out." Derek says, glaring daggers at him. When Peter doesn't move, and Derek steps forward, Ash tightens her hold on Derek's arm.

"Come on, Derek, don't do this." She says.

Derek looks at her and Ash gives him a pleading look. Derek sighs, relaxing more.

"Just go." Derek says, not giving Peter the explosive reaction he was seeking.

"Of course _she_ 'd be able to 'help' you, right?" Peter says, looking at Ash accussively.

Derek's nostrils flare angerily and Jessie looks at her Uncle in confusion, not sure what he meant by that.

"Peter." Peter's surprised to hear Jessie say his name. He looks over at her. " _Please_ go." She begs him, her eyes shimmering with frightened tears.

Peter looks between Jessie, Ash and Derek. Jessie, upset and pleading.

Ash, more composed with her emotions but still pleading too.

And Derek, just ready to fight again if he needs too.

Peter nods and they all watch as he leaves, limping out of the loft, bleeding, _hurt_. He really did push Derek too far this time.

None of them know what happens now, Derek and Peter have always argued then Peter just comes back, but this time seems different.

"Derek-" Ash tries.

Derek steps away from Ash, pulling away from her.

Ash frowns at him.

"Take Jessie to your place." Derek says to her, not looking at her though.

"Okay." Ash nods, seeing the alpha's dealing with something right now. Ash backs away from him, going over to Jessie. "Come on, Jess." Ash says, putting her arms around Jessie's shoulders, knowing she's upset after seeing her family fight so viciously.

Ash and Jessie go back over to the McCall loft, Jessie doesn't argue, she doesn't want to anger Derek more than he already is.

"Ash? You can't leave Jade here by herself.." Scott starts to lecture but trails off, seeing the look of both of the girls' faces.

"What happened?" Stiles asks, having come home with Scott, and seeing their faces too. "Jess-" He tries to touch her arm and Jessie crashes into him, hugging him tightly.

Scott looks at Ash in confusion, wondering why Jessie's so upset.

Ash just shakes her head with a sigh, sitting down on the sofa. She lets out a shaky exhale, looking down at the ground and hoping Derek's okay.

..

..

 **Well, that was bound to happen! All that crap between them finally blew up! Favourite, follow and review!**


	34. Mark

**Shout out to:**

 ***Serena Sterling: Exactly! He will be useful sometimes, and things will get better with him :) Aw :3 You're welcome and thanks!**

 ***TheHungryRainbow: Yes, he does!**

 ***Maxine Hale: Yes :/ Update is here!**

 ***Bre: Hehe, we'll see :P**

 **..**

That night, Ash leaves Jade with Jessie, since she's staying over with Stiles, them and Scott camping out in the living room.

Ash goes for a drive, unable to get a wink of sleep.

Between what happened with Derek and Peter and then the final court hearing tomorrow, Ash knows sleep's going to be harder than ever to find tonight.

She goes to her quiet place, to the wharf at the beach. She gets out and pulls her hoodie tighter around her, the cold night air whipping around her. It's dark, so it isn't until she's metres away does she actually see someone else is sitting on the end of the wharf, in her spot.

Ash slows to a stop, recognizing the leather jacket.

"Derek?" She asks.

He's brought out of his thoughts when he hears her voice. He turns around, his green eyes locking onto her blue ones.

"What are you doing out here?" She asks him.

"I had to get out of the loft." He says, turning back around to face the still, the _calm_ , water. That's why he came here, the stillness, the calmness, the solitude..it's the same reason Ash comes here when she needs to be alone, to think. "Where's Jessie?"

"She's at my place with Scott and Stiles, they're looking after Jade." Ash says. She walks forward and sits down next to him. "Jessie wasn't scared of you, if that's what you're worried about." Ash assures him.

"But you were, right? I could smell it on you." Derek says, turning his head to look at her.

"No." Ash shakes her head. "I just..I didn't want to be hurt again." She admits, looking down at the water.

"I would never hurt you, Ash." Derek says without missing a beat.

"I know that, I..my mind just sometimes..you know what I mean." Ash says, unable to put it into words.

But Derek nods, because he does understand what she means, it's like your own mind playing tricks on you, it's a post-traumatic experience sort of thing. Derek would panic at the very sight of fire in the days that followed the Hale fire, even if he was safely away from it. He's _alot_ better now though, barely even flinches if he's sitting in front of a fire, he just finds himself lost in his thoughts eventually.

"It's late, you should get home, it's not safe out here." Derek says.

"But you're here. I'm sure I'm safe with you." She says.

"You are. But, you should go." He says.

"I go when you go." Ash says.

"No, you should go now." He says.

"No." Ash shakes her head. "You're right, it's not safe out here. Not for me, and not for you either. I'm driving you home. So when you go, I'll go." She says stubbornly.

Derek sighs, knowing there's no point in arguing with her when she's like this. She's about as stubborn as a rock when she wants to be. Derek doesn't have enough mental strength to argue her down, not right now, not after the day he's had.

Ash stand up, holding her hand out to him.

"C'mon, Derek." She says.

He decides to listen to her, to take her advice. He looks up at her and takes her hand. Ash helps him stand, helping pull him to his feet.

Ash lets his hand go once he's up and they start walking to her car.

When they get to the car, Ash notices how deep in thought the alpha is. Derek can't get Peter's words out of his head, it's frustrating him. Peter has a talent of leaving his words burning into your mind, until you start to believe them.

"Hey." Ash says. "What's going on with you?"

"Nothing." Derek shakes his head.

But she sees right through him. But she also knows him, she knows that, like her, he's not going to just give it up and tell her.

"How badly are you hurt?" Ash asks him. Her fingers gently hover over where blood has soaked through his gray singlet in the shape of a cut.

"It's fine, it's healing." Derek tells her.

Ash nods, brushing her thumb over his cheek gently.

Derek watches her, looking at her eyes, that are warm and gentle as they look at him, that's not something the alpha is very used too. But, he finds he likes it, he likes this acceptance she has for him, that she can see past all the crap and still appreciate the marred soul underneth.

But, when he looks at her, he sees it all too. The broken heart of a daughter grieving her mother and still her grandparents too, of a girl that's been through hell just like he has, in more ways than just one. Someone who's been betrayed, someone who's lost the people closed to them, someone who's been hurt, someone who's seen it all, someone who _understands_ him, the _real_ him, no matter how flawed he may be.

And that's exactly why he thinks, for _once_ , he might need to listen to Peter. He doesn't want too, of course he doesn't, but it might be safest that he does this time.

Ash leans forward to kiss him but Derek puts his hands to her shoulders, stopping her from getting any closer.

"Don't." He shakes his head, stepping back.

Ash pulls back with a frown.

"Derek?" Ash says, confused.

"Peter was right." Derek says.

"What?"

"You being with me is too dangerous. The easiest way to claim land is to kill the alpha protecting it." He says. Even the words feel like a lie as he says them, but he knows there is _some_ truth to his words, and he won't let himself be the reason she gets hurt. None of them ever want to see her in that place again, mute, beaten, bloody, _damaged_.

Ash's face falls when she realises what he's trying to say, what he's trying to _do_.

"What are you saying to me, Derek?" She asks him. "Are you..are you calling this off?" She asks hesitantly, afriad for the answer.

"They'll kill me, then the ones closest to me-"

"Are you calling this off?" Ash cuts him off, needing an answer.

Derek looks at her, looking between her eyes.

"Yes." He says and the word only tastes sour on his tongue.

Ash feels her stomach flip. Because she cares about him.

"We should stop, before you get hurt." He says, wanting her to understand that, as stupidly cliche as it sounds, it's not her, it's him just wanting to protect her.

"I've already been hurt, so don't give me that bullshit." She says, getting mad because she's upset. She doesn't want to stop this, she likes him, more than just good sex as well, she feels a connection to him that she hasn't felt with anyone since Jacob, and we all know how well that went.

"Are you blaming me?" He asks her. "Because I didn't make sure you were safe at the loft before we left like I should've?" He asks her.

Ash can tell by his voice that he does blame himself a little bit, that he's kicking himself for making that small mistake, because he's the alpha and he's supposed to watch over his pack. But he had no idea of what would happen to her, noone did.

"No, it wasn't your fault. It wasn't even my fault, I know that now." Ash says honestly. "But we've seen bad times before, Derek. Don't do this, not because of the Skinwalkers." She says. Those _things_ have already taken her mother away from her, she doesn't want them to take Derek too.

"I have too." He says, knowing it's safest he does break this off. But they're both already too far gone to walk away just like that. If he was going to do this, he should have done it in the very beginning. "I'll walk home." He says, knowing she won't want to be stuck in a car with him now. He turns away and starts to walk.

Ash clenches her teeth, too stubborn to let it end now, or this way.

"You're a coward." She says to his back.

Derek hears her speak and stops. He turns back around to face her. He may be alot of things, but a coward has never been one of them.

"What did you just say?" He asks her even though he heard her loud and clear.

"I said, you're a _coward_." Ash repeats, not backing down, not even in the slightest, like she knows Derek wants her too. That's her hard-headedness shining through, she gets it from her Mom. "You know how I feel about you, and if you'd rather run from it than fight for it then fuck you, Derek." She says, attempting to cover up the hurt in her voice.

He starts walking back over to her.

"If you don't want me, at least have the balls to tell me to my face. Don't make excuses-" He cuts her off, pinning her againist the car with his own body, his arms on either side of her, leaning his forehead againist her's, their noses touching.

"You _actually_ think that I don't want you?" He asks her, his breath fanning over her lips.

"Yeah, that's exactly what I think." Ash says, trying to ignore how close the wolf is to her, how close his lips are to her's.

"Well, you're wrong." He says. Because she is, he just wants to protect her, keep her safe, like he's failed to do for so many people already. He just doesn't want her to be added to that list. He let himself believe Peter's words because he believes his family died because of him. He doesn't want that to happen to Ash too. But he also won't let her believe he doesn't want her either. Because that's bullshit.

"Am I?" She asks.

"Yeah." Derek nods, gripping her thighs and lifting her off the ground, making her legs wrap around him with surprise.

"Put me down." Ash says, even though it feels much better for her to be close to him like this. But she's mad, she's mad and she's hurt because of what he's said.

"You're completely wrong." He says againist her lips before kissing her.

At first, Ash won't kiss him back, still hurt and confused with what he's said. But the longer she puts it off, the more she wants him, the more she wants to kiss him. So, she lets herself react, wrapping her arms around his neck and kissing him back.

She runs her hands through his hair as she battles his lips with her own, a shallowly aggressive undertone to their kiss as they're both frustrated with what they _should_ do and what they _want_ to do.

"You believe me now?" He asks her once they have to pull back to catch their breath.

Ash nods then collides her lips into his again.

He kisses her back, their lips moving more in tandom than againist each other now as they're no longer fighting each other, they're giving in.

Ash tugs his hair gently and he absent-mindedly bares his neck to her. But when Ash kisses his throat, Derek's eyes flash red.

Ash pulls back from him quickly, locking her blue eyes with the alpha's red ones.

"Sorry." Ash says because she knows wolves' throats are one of their most vulnerable area, I mean, she watched how _vulnerable_ Peter's was when Derek ripped it open with his claws. "I-I didn't mean too."

"It's okay, I know you didn't." He says. His eyes turned red without his permission. In his head, he was getting lost in the feeling on her lips on his and on him, but to his wolf, it a possible threat. He trusts her, it didn't mean anything to bare his neck. He forgot, for a moment, that someone could have easily killed him in that moment, not her, but someone else.

Derek blinks, his eyes green again when they open.

Ash hesitantly leans forward again to kiss him, her eyes watching his for a reaction. But the only reaction he has is to kiss her back.

Derek knew she wasn't going to try to hurt him, she's not a threat. Just like Ash knows Derek wasn't going to hurt her earlier.

Derek holds her close, pouring himself into this kiss, _showing_ her he gives a damn about her and her safety. But he won't let that worry push aside his desire to have her to himself. He'll find another way around keeping her safe, because letting her go to do so, that's not an option anymore. Derek's unsure if it ever was a realistic option.

Derek reaches out past Ash, opening the car door to the backseat. He lays the girl down againist the leather of her Camaro seats, hoping for a little more privacy than a public wharf in the middle of the night.

They want each other, they really do, and they're about to show each other that right now.

..

The two adults lay in the backseat, Ash on Derek's chest like always. They're using Ash's oversized hoodie as a makeshift blanket to cover their naked bodies.

They just lay in a comfortable silence.

Ash's fingers softly trace patterns over his chest and the tips of Derek's fingers brush up and down her arm gently, his other arm around her, hanging over her hip.

But their eyes settle out the backseat window, up at the sky, where the sun is starting to rise. Bright pink and yellow breaking through the darkness and slowly filling the sky with light.

Their peaceful silence is broken when Ash's phone starts to ring.

Both of them look in the direction but neither of them reach for it. It stops ringing, only to start again.

Ash sighs and reaches over Derek. She digs through her jeans' pocket for it. She finds it, bringing it out, to see her brother's name on the screen.

"Hey." Ash answers it, settling back on Derek's chest comfortably. She smiles softly when his hand comes to her hair, raking through it.

"Ash, where the hell are you?" Scott asks. "I've been sitting up for hours waiting, we were getting ready to come looking."

"I'm fine, Scott. I just needed some time to myself." Ash tells him.

"Yeah, you and Derek both, he's disappeared too." Scott says.

Ash looks up at Derek and he looks down at her, both wearing mischevious looks.

"I'm sure he's fine, he can handle himself." Ash says, laying back down on his chest again.

"Yeah, try telling Jessie that." Scott says.

Derek feels a little bad, but he needed to get away as well.

"She's been up all night with Stiles, they're hogging my damn bed." Scott says, half-heartedly glaring over at the couple now occupying his bed while he sits in the chair.

Ash's eyes widen a little because she knows Derek heard that.

Derek cringes and Ash mouths a 'sorry' to him.

"Well, can you come home? Jade's awake and she's fussing, I can't calm her down." Scott says.

"I'm on my way home now." Ash assures him.

"Straight home, I mean it." Scott says. "You shouldn't be out there on your own, it's far too dangerous."

"Yes, sir. I'll be 10 minutes." Ash says with a little smirk. Ash can practically hear Scott roll his eyes before they both hang up. Ash sighs and looks up at Derek again.

"You have to go." He guesses.

"Yeah, so do you." She nods. "Your sister's freaking out a little, my brother as well." Ash says, pulling herself to sit up, pulling her hoodie over her body so she's covered.

"It's cold." Derek frowns when the hoodie's pulled away from him.

"Really?" Ash asks, peeking at his naked lap. "I didn't notice, I don't think you did either." She grins.

Derek follows her eyes, chuckling under his breath.

"That's not fair." Derek says.

"Not to other guys, no, it's not." She says, still looking at his manhood.

Derek sits up as well, taking the hoodie from her hands and pulling it away.

"I meant, you can't look at me if I can't look at you." He says, his eyes falling to her revealed bust.

Ash blushes madly under his gaze, not used to being admired like this, so _openly_.

"You're looking a little flustered." He says, knowing full well the effect it's taking on her.

"Oh, really?" She asks, straddling his lap before he can respond. Their lips come together again and being 10 minutes easily turns into being half an hour.

..

Ash pulls up in the loft garage. She pulls up the handbrake and turns off the ignition but doesn't get out. She digs through her bag for her perfume, spraying herself to mask their mixed scents.

Derek screws his face up a little, the smell overwhelming him before it settles and it's that sweet smell he finds along Ash's neck again.

"You should go first, I'll give it a minute before heading up." Derek says. Ash chuckles and Derek looks at her in confusion. "What?" He asks her.

"Why is it every time we have sex now, we end up doing it twice?" She asks him with a grin.

"I don't know how to answer that without offending you." He says, a smirk pulling at his lips.

"Get out of my car, asshole." Ash says but she's still smiling because she knows he's only kidding around. She punches his arm and they both get out of the car. Ash locks it and starts walking towards the stairs.

But Derek catches her arm, pulling her back to him.

"Derek, what-" He cuts her off, kissing her. He pulls back, letting her go. "Okay." Ash nods, pleasantly surprised by his actions.

"What I said back there, forget it." Derek says. "I can keep you safe." He decides he's not going to listen to Peter, because Peter's manipulate and only looks out for himself.

"I know you can, but I can look after myself." Ash says, not wanting to put herself on him as a burden. He nods.

"I know." He nodss. "Go on." He says.

Ash comes forward one more time, kissing him.

"Trying to turn two times into three?" He asks.

"Think we have time?" She teases.

"Go." He says, smiling a little bit, because Ash is already late, they _definitely_ don't have the time. She chuckles and jogs up the stairs. "Wait, Ash." He calls after her.

Ash stops, backing down until she can see him again.

"Yeah?"

"You might want to uh..let your hair down." Derek says.

"What? Why?" Ash asks. Derek smirks.

"You'll see." He says.

She looks at him, confused, before going back up the stairs. She lets her hair down, as he said, before going into the loft.

"You said _10_ goddamn minutes, Ash." Scott lectures the second she walks through the door.

"I know, I know, I got caught up." Ash says.

"I was worried, don't do that again." Scott sighs. "You have your court hearing in 3 hours." He reminds her.

"I know, I just need to shower and I'll be ready." Ash nods. She goes over to where Jessie's holding Jade, her and Stiles now on the sofa. "And I'll make sure my baby girl stays home for good." Ash smiles, kissing Jade's hair.

"Why are you in such a good mood?" Stiles asks, noticing Ash is smiling more than usual.

"I don't know..I'm just happy." She shrugs, but the reason for that extra ray of metaphorical sunshine is waiting downstairs still.

"That's good." Stiles smiles.

"By the way, I think I passed Derek earlier, he's okay." Ash assures Jessie, making her look relieved.

Ash passes Jade back and heads up the stairs, going into her room.

She goes into the bathroom, shutting the door behind her. She turns the shower on and starts to get undressed. She's about to get in the shower when she passes the mirror, catching a flash of purple. She turns to her mirror, walking up to it. Ash moves her hair out of the way and her mouth falls open a little before turning into a smile.

Along her neck, 4 hickeys. Derek's mark. Derek's _claim_ over her while they're doing whatever it is they're doing. Because he does want her, and he will keep her safe, along with the rest of the pack.

..

..

 **Always love writing a little bit of possessive Derek :3 And yes, of couse they're still keeping it a secret,** _ **but**_ **, secret's always come out, and it will, soon :) Favourite, follow and review!**


	35. Settling Affairs

**My internet crapped out but here's the update finally!**

 **Shout out to:**

 ***Serena Sterling: Yes, their reactions should be interesting :P But will Ash get Jade though? Dun, dun, dun! You're welcome and thanks!**

 ***Tesla424: I will admit, for a moment, I was going to let him walk away and then something else happen to bring them back together later but my fingers and keyboard would not let me!**

 ***Bre: I don't know why either but it's okay :) He will, eventually!**

 ***Guest (momentum123) Thank you!**

 ***momentum123: Thanks, again :)**

 ***TheHungryRainbow: Yay!**

 ***Bre: Hehe :P**

 ***Maxine Hale: Sorry :P Thanks :)**

 **Reached 100 reviews, and still counting! That's all you supportive, amazing people!**

 **..**

The pack, minus Peter, watch from the stands as Ash walks over to that same desk. She's dressed in jeans, a singlet covered with a formal blazer and black wedges. Her hair's pulled into a neat ponytail, an appropriatly red-coloured lipstick pressed over her full lips, a light coat of mascara over her thick eyelashes, her hickeys are of course covered with make-up, and she looks ready, ready to win this thing.

Rafael and Danielle sit at the other desk, watching Ash as well. Rafael's eyes sweep over her red-casted arm, her stitchless but still healing cut over her eyebrow and the almost healed cuts on her lip and cheek.

Police officers stand at the doors this time, that makes Rafael a little nervous, but it also unsettles Ash too.

Ash looks over at the stands, giving the ones that came to support her a small grateful smile. She sees John and sighs in relief.

He was released literally no more than an hour ago, but there was _no_ way John was going to miss this. He wanted to be here to support his surrogent daughter, to support the whole McCall family.

"Miss McCall, please rise." Meyers says.

Ash stands up, holding her hands behind her back.

"If I grant you guardianship, do you understand the legal obligations you will have to both children?" He asks her.

"Yes." Ash nods.

"Do you understand your duties and responsibles?"

"Yes." She nods again.

"Do you understand your need to be apart of their intellectual, emotional, physical, social, cultural and personal development? Do you understand your responsibilities medically? Educationally?" He asks her.

"Yes." She says.

"Do you understand that even though Scott has a year and a half until he's of age, you will still be depended on by Jade for the next 16 years?" He asks her.

"Yes, your honor." She nods without hesitation. She doesn't care if she isn't 'free' until she's 36, she's taking her babies home.

"Ash Piper McCall, would you like to, and agree to and follow the conditions, become full-time guardian of not only Jade McCall, but also Scott McCall?" The judge asks her.

Ash looks to her side, seeing Scott and seeing Jade. Her mind goes into overdrive. Yes, she wants them. But yes, she also loses her freedom. But really? None of that matters, not when it comes to family.

Scott gives her a small smile and Jade makes grabby hands towards her while Jessie quietens her down.

Ash turns back to the judge with her answer clear as day.

"Yes, I would." She nods.

"Guardian application #37745091, to have Jade May McCall changed to the guardianship of Rafael McCall and Danielle King.." It's like one of those shows were they always cut to the breaks before it gets to the really good part. "Denied." Meyers says, banging his gavel.

Ash sighs in relief.

Rafael frowns and there's some chatter before him and Danielle are hushed again.

"Guardian application #37745092, to have Jade May McCall, and Scott Thomas McCall, changed to the guardianship of Ash McCall.." There's that pause again.

The whole pack waits unpatiently, watching the judge closely.

Scott is on the edge of his seat, waiting for that answer.

Ash feels like she's shaking, because she's frightened, but she's standing strong and tall.

"Accepted." Meyers says, banging his gavel.

"Yes!" It's Stiles that jumps up, throwing his hands up.

The pack cheer a little too, it's inappropriate for court but surprisingly, the judge doesn't say anything.

Jessie smiles widely too, grabbing Stiles and kissing him because she's so happy and just doesn't care.

"Thank you." Ash says to the judge, with as much sincerity as she can muster.

Judge Meyers gives her a soft smile. He did this case through professionalism, by the books, but he's happy it went in her favour because he can tell she deserves it, that she deserves her family.

Scott jumps the railing and hugs his sister tightly, lifting her off her feet. Ash hugs him back with a huge smile on her face.

"I told you you could do this." Scott says.

"Thank you, for always being there for me." Ash says to him.

"Always, Ash." Scott assures her.

"Ashy!" Jade hollers.

Ash lets Scott go to scoop to girl up from Jessie's out-stretched arms. Ash kisses her whole face, feeling _so_ much happier than she has in awhile.

"Come here." Hailey smiles, holding her arms out to her oldest neice. Of course, her and Jeff were still in town and they came too, refusing to miss this either.

Ash, with Jade, go over to her and hug her.

Jeff kisses Ash's cheek.

"Your Mom would be proud." He assures her. Ash smile, hugging him as well.

They look to the side when they were the distinct rattle of handcuffs.

"Rafael McCall, you're under arrest for assault." Parrish says as he drags Rafael to his feet, handcuffing him.

This makes them all simmer down and look over in Rafael's direction.

"I'll call the lawyer." Danielle assures Rafael.

"That's not going to do much." Parrish says, looking at her. "Evidence is all there. There's blood, fingerprints..it's enough to put him away for a few years, at _least_." Parrish says. Parrish looks over at Ash, meeting her eyes. He nods to her.

Ash nods gratefully back to him, watching as Rafael is led out of the building by Parrish, the other officers making sure he stays put and does what he's told to do, goes where he's supposed to go.

The second Ash sees that police cruiser drive away, with her father in it, with the promise of him going to prison, tears fill her eyes. But they're not sad tears, or even scared tears, they're tears of relief, because it's over.

Scott takes her into his arms again, keeping Jade between them. He hugs her gently, knowing a huge weight has come off her shoulders now. Between the secret she kept about him hurting her, the last court case, this court case..Ash was being crushed, and that's not even including this supernatural shit-storm.

But right now, this being finished..Ash has never been so relieved in her entire life. That relief leaks from her eyes and she can't help it.

"Come on, Ash, let's take our family home." Scott says to her.

..

 _That night_

"You okay?" Scott asks Ash, seeing how tired she now looks.

Ash nods, leaning againist the wall.

Derek, here to check in on the family as the alpha should, looks over at her as well, seeing she looks exhausted but it's more emotional than physical.

"Here, I'll take her and get her changed for bed." Scott offers, looking at Jade in Ash's arms.

"Thanks." Ash smiles, handing her to Scott.

Jade smiles up at her brother and Scott starts making faces at her and poking his tongue out at her as he walks up the stairs.

Ash's eyes follow them, a soft smile gracing her lips. She's so happy to have her family home now, for good, under her care and supervision. Today couldn't have gone any better, it's just a little overwhelming for Ash. She's not used to things going so well her way like that, but she's grateful, she's grateful and happy.

"I told you you wouldn't lose." Derek says, looking at Ash.

Ash looks over at him and nods, stepping towards him. She brings her hands up, brushing her thumbs over his stubble.

"Thanks for being so good to me." She says, locking eyes with him.

Derek puts his hands over her's, holding onto them gently.

Ash steps forward again, closing the distance between them and kissing him.

Derek kisses her back, but this kiss is softer, slower, than usual. But it's nice, it's _sweet_.

Ash's hands leave his face to thread past either side of his head, coming around his neck and threading into his hair.

Derek's hands leave her's to come to her waist, gently wrapping around her hips.

Scott's shocked to a pause at the top of the stairs, his eyes widening at the two adults in the living room. He can't do or say anything, just watch, even though he doesn't really want too, but he can't look away either.

They pull apart, resting their foreheads together.

"I'm proud of you." Derek says to her.

Ash looks up at him, surprised to hear him say something so bold like that.

"I mean it, Ash. Jade and Scott are lucky to have you."

"No, I'm lucky to have them." Ash says with a soft smile.

Derek smiles a little, even in their more emotionally intimate moments, Ash is still hard-headed.

"I should go before Scott comes back." Derek says.

"Yeah." Ash nods.

Derek leans forward, taking her lips in his again. He pulls back, kissing her lips gently one more time before pulling away from her all together.

They share a soft look before Derek heads out of their loft, going back to his own.

Scott snaps out of his shock, knowing it's his time to make an appearence.

"Jade's dressed for bed, we're just gonna watch some movies down here." Scott says, walking down the stairs.

Ash spins around to look at Scott, who's holding Jade, the young girl dressed in her purple onesie she wears to bed.

"What's up, you look a little flustered?" Scott asks her, just to see what she'll say.

"Uh.." Ash stutters. "No, I'm fine." She says, giving him an assuring smile. "I'm just tired..it was a really long day."

"Go on up to bed, I'll bring Jade up later." Scott says.

Ash nods. She walks over to them and kisses both of their heads before heading for the stairs.

"Hey, Ash." He says.

She stops, turning around to face him.

Scott thinks of speaking up about what he just saw, but honestly, he doesn't know what to say. So, he keeps quiet.

"Goodnight." He ends up saying.

"'Night." Ash smiles back before walking the rest of the way up the stairs. She goes into her room and goes straight to her drawers. She changes into something to sleep in before slipping under her covers and going to sleep, exhautsed from the emotionally draining day she's had.

..

Ash wakes abruptly, her eyes opening when she hears her window creak as it slides open. She turns over, investigating the sound.

"It's just me." Derek assures her, flashing his red eyes into the dark so she can be sure.

"Oh, no, Derek. C'mon. It's been a long day." Ash sighs, rolling back over. "We've already gone twice today. Not tonight." She says, pulling her blanket up to her shoulders and curling up with it. She expects to hear her bedroom window open and close again, for Derek to leave, but he doesn't.

"Come with me." Derek says, because he didn't come here for sex.

"I need sleep, Derek." Ash says, ducking under the covers.

"If you don't hurry up, they'll be finished." He says.

This catches Ash's attention. The wolf watches as she peeks an eye out of the covers.

"'Till what's finished?" She asks.

"Come with me and I'll show you." He says.

"Hmm..no." Ash decides, pulling the covers back over her head.

"Fine." Derek says. "It's fireworks." He says. This time, Ash pokes her whole head out of the comforter.

"What? Really?" She asks, already sounding far more awake. Ash loves fireworks, absolutely _loves_ them. It was an experience her and her mother shared alot when Ash was younger. And then Ash would take young Scott out to a field and they'd light some together too.

"Yeah. C'mon, let's go on the roof." He says. When Ash doesn't move, he holds his hand out to her. She exhales with a soft smile, putting her hand into his. He guides her out of bed.

Ash is only in pajama shorts and a singlet so she wraps a light blanket around her, not favouring freezing in the late-night chilly air. When Ash goes for her bedroom door, Derek holds her back.

"What?" She asks him.

"Not that way." He says. "You'll wake Jade and Scott, they're on the sofa."

"Then how?" Ash asks him.

Derek glances at the window and back to her again.

"No.." Ash shakes her head. "No, right? No. No, that's crazy." She says. "I get you're an alpha, but not even an alpha should piggyback people up a goddamn wall. I'll just meet you up there." Ash says, turning towards her door.

"Alright." Derek agrees. "It's okay to be scared, I guess." He says, knowing exactly how to get a reaction out of her. And it does.

Ash stops. She turns back around to face him with both eyebrows raised.

"What did you just say?" She asks him.

"That if you're scared, I understand, most people would be." He says, still playing that reaction card.

"Well, I'm not most people." Ash says, throwing her blanket to her bed and walking back up to him.

"I didn't think so." He says with soft eyes. He hooks his arms under her legs, lifting her off her feet.

She lets out a surprised sound but quickly covers her mouth, not wanting to wake Scott.

..

She sits in Derek's lap, his jacket now covering her, with a big smile and wide eyes. She watches with excitement as a single gold ball of fire shoots into the sky, exploding into a hail of fiery glitter.

Derek's not really watching the fireworks, he's watching her. The way her eyes light up each time a firework goes off, exploding into the sky with an array of sparkling colours. Her eyes are so interested, shimmering, Derek can watch the fireworks in them, in the reflection.

She flinches a little with each loud bang but it's in anticipation, not fear.

Derek's arms come around her from behind, resting over her stomach.

Her hand comes over his arm, gently rubbing it with her thumb. She leans back a little, turning her head so she can look at him. She presses a soft kiss to his stubble, leaning her head againist his.

"Thank you, I needed this." She says.

"It's okay." Derek says.

And they stay like that for a good hour or so, watching the display on the roof together. And for once, Derek doesn't feel like an alpha, he doesn't feel like a werewolf, he doesn't feel like the grump haunted by his past, he doesn't feel pensive or brooding..he feels normal. _Normal_. It's a luxury for him to feel this way, and this girl is the reason why.

..

..

 **Yay! Rafael's going away for awhile! (But all that mess hasn't gone away just yet..maybe it has, maybe it hasn't, I'm still deciding..) And Ash got them! And her and Derek are being really cute! Good news all around :) Well..Scott is now 'in the loop' about them and they don't even know it. That may cause some problems. Favourite, follow and review!**


	36. Seeing What's Important

**Shout out to:**

 ***Serena Sterling: Yes, he does suck! But yay, she won, of course she did! Yes, but he won't be keeping quiet about it for long :P Skinwalkers will become worse soon! You're welcome and thanks!**

 ***TheHungryRainbow: Hmm..I'm still deciding abou that, maybe Daniell does something?**

 ***Maxine Hale: Yay!**

 **..**

 _The next morning_

"We have a problem." Scott says, dropping his textbooks on the library table, looking between Stiles and Jessie.

"Yeah, we do." Stiles nods, both him and Jessie looking at Stiles' laptop screen and not at Scott. "Those _things_ put some other poor, innocent guy in the hospital this morning, he's hanging on though. Scott, we _have_ to do something about this. My Dad was just released and someone else has just taken his place and-" He's cut off when Scott slams the laptop shut, getting both of their attentions.

"Scott, what the hell, man?" Jessie asks him, now looking at him.

"That's not the problem I'm talking about." Scott says.

"Well, right now, it seems pretty important, don't you think-" Stiles says.

"I caught Derek and Ash kissing." Scott blurts it out.

Both Stiles and Jessie fall quiet now.

"Last night, when I was changing Jade upstairs. I was coming downstairs and I caught them but they didn't see me. And by the looks of it, and what they were saying, it definitely wasn't a first kiss. Something's going on between them, something they've been hiding from all of us." Scott says, taking a seat at the table now.

"Wait." Stiles says. "Ash, as in your Ash." He says, pointing to Scott. "And Derek, as in your Derek?" He asks, pointing to Jessie.

"Yes, Stiles, Derek and Ash. The _only_ Derek and Ash we know." Scott finds himself being sarcastic because he isn't sure how to react to this.

"No. That's impossible." Stiles shakes his head with a light laugh. "There's no way. I mean, they hated each other, right? They've barely started to be friends lately, they can't go from that to.." Stiles doesn't say it, cringing at the mental picture of a girl he looks up to like a big sister and the stubbly alpha wolf together. "No, you must have it wrong." He says.

"No, _trust me_ , that spit swapping was just..argh." Scott says.

"You really aren't joking about this, are you?" Stiles asks.

"No, not at all." Scott answers.

"Okay.." Stiles says, coming to grips with that, well, _trying_ too.

"Oh..that makes sense now." Jessie realises, thinking back to all the strange moments she caught between the two adults, and especially what Peter said about them.

"You knew?" Scott asks her.

"No." Jessie shakes her head. "But I see it now that you've said that." She says.

"What am I supposed to do about this?" Scott asks them. "I..I can't just confront them."

"Why not?" Jessie asks. "Ash told me and Stiles to be honest, maybe it's time her and Derek were too."

"Jess..what are you thinking of doing?" Stiles asks, seeing that plotting look come to her face again, like it did when she spoke to Peter privately.

"Nothing, I'm just gonna _catch up_ with Derek when I get home." Jessie says with an innocent smile.

"Yeah, I'm gonna talk to Ash then." Scott nods.

"Okay, I'll just stand on the sidelines and be referee, call the fouls as I see them." Stiles says, knowing this secret is going to cause some minor problems, sort of like his and Jessie's did.

Only difference is, _noone_ knows about Derek and Ash, aside Peter, at least a few people knew about Jessie and Stiles before they opened up about it officially.

The class bell rings and they have to shut-up since it's their study time and many students will be in here studying in a minute.

But they don't study, Stiles opens his laptop up again and all 3 of them focus on the screen, reading what's been posted about the newest Skinwalker attack, or as the papers say, an 'animal attack'.

..

Jessie gets home before Isaac. She spots Derek on the sofa, a little smirk coming to her face because she has a plan. She'll try to wessel the truth from Derek, and if he doesn't give it up, Jessie will just slam him with it anyway. Foolproof. Sort of..

"So.." Jessie says, sitting down on the other sofa, looking at her brother.

When Jessie doesn't continue, Derek looks up from his book to her.

"I feel like I haven't seen much of you lately." She says, that's not really true, she just needs a way to start the conversation.

"Maybe that's because you always seem to be with Stilinski." Derek points out, resisting the urge to roll his eyes.

"Maybe." She muses. "Or maybe it's because you're not home as much as usual." She says.

Derek just shrugs, looking back down at his book.

"I like Ash, by the way." She says.

Derek glances up at Jessie again.

"She's really nice, got a big heart." She says.

Derek just nods a little, unsure why this is suddenly coming up.

"And she's really pretty, don't you think?"

"Are you going somewhere with this?" Derek asks her without missing a beat, knowing she's hinting at something.

"No." Jessie shakes her head. "Why? Something weighing on your mind?" She asks him innocently, like she has no idea of what she's doing.

But Derek sees through it, he knows his sister well.

"Jessie, if you have something to say, just say it." Derek deadpans.

"Something like what?" Jessie plays dumb.

Derek just sighs, looking down again.

"Oh, right." Jessie says like she's just figured it out. "You mean something like the fact that you've been hooking up with Ash behind all of our backs?" She asks.

Derek pauses.

"Is that the sort of 'something' you meant?" She asks him.

Derek looks up at Jessie again but doesn't say anything, unsure of what to say.

"Yeah, I thought so." Jessie says, his silence confirming it true.

"How'd you know?" Derek asks her.

"Scott saw the two of you together, he came to me and Stiles for some..advice, direction, you know?" She says. "I don't think he's very happy with you-"

"Yeah, well, it's none of his business." Derek says.

"Oh, no, that's where you're wrong." Jessie says, turning to face him properly. "That's his sister. And remember, Jade's with Ash for the next 16 years. If you're a part of Ash's life, you're a part of her life, and Scott's too. Scott's got every right to get involved." Jessie says.

Derek doesn't say anything because he knows she's right, he just doesn't want to admit it.

"I know that your business is your business, just like mine is mine, but hear me when I say this, brother. Do _not_ fuck her around." Jessie warns him.

Derek looks at her, surprised to hear the curse word slip from her mouth so easily, and in his direction.

"She's a nice girl who's been through enough already. And don't play Daddy to that little girl if you don't plan to stick around either." She lectures. "Her real father already ran out on her more than enough times already. She doesn't need that shit again, she's only a toddler."

"You and Ash must be getting close, huh?" Derek guesses from the protective role Jessie took moments ago.

"Yeah." Jessie nods. "Don't worry, I'll be giving her the same speech, this isn't all on you."

"Okay, well..I hear you." Derek assures her. "I don't plan to hurt either of them."

"Good." Jessie says, getting up and grabbing her bag again. "I have to go study with Scott and Stiles across the hall." She says. "Expect a visit from Scott." She says, walking over to the door again.

"I'm counting on it." Derek says, knowing it's enivitiable.

Jessie gives him a small smile and leaves, walking across the hall.

Sooner than Jessie thought, _alot_ sooner, Scott passes her.

"I talked to Ash, she knows we know." Scott says.

"So does Derek." Jessie tells him. "Go easy on him, Scott."

"Yeah, we'll see." Scott says a little sarcastically. He feels a little betrayed they kept this from him, his alpha and his sister, Scott deserved to know.

Jessie walks into the McCall loft. She smiles, spotting Stiles on the sofa with Jade. She walks over to them and scruffs Jade's hair. Her and Stiles kiss before Jessie's eyes fall to Ash on the deck.

Ash sits there, smoking a cigarette, looking out over the town, her eyebrows slightly burrowed.

Jessie kisses Stiles once more before walking out on the deck. She closes the doors, giving her and Ash some privacy.

Ash looks up at the younger girl, watching as she sits down in the other chair.

Jessie meets Ash's eyes and Ash blows out her mouthful of smoke with a sigh.

"Yeah, this is a little awkward, isn't it?" Jessie says.

"Yeah, I know. I'm sorry, Jess. It just.. It just happened, you know? It's not like we planned any of this." Ash says.

"Yeah." Jessie nods. "Listen, whatever you two do is your business, I don't wanna know details, just don't fuck my brother around, alright?" Jessie says, giving Ash the same lecture she gave Derek.

"I don't plan too. I've been betrayed before, and I would never put him through that." Ash promises her. "I..I really like Derek."

"Have you told him that?" Jessie asks her.

"No." Ash shakes her head.

"Tell him. He feels the same way, trust me." Jessie says.

"You think?" Ash asks the younger girl, sucking down on her cigarette.

"Yeah, I do." Jessie nods, because she knows her brother and she knows Derek wouldn't have let Ash that close, and kept her that close, if he didn't see a bigger endgame.

Jessie doesn't go in guns blazing on Ash, she doesn't give her a hard time, because Jessie was in this very position with Stiles not that long ago.

Scott, on the other hand, has other ideas.

"Get up." Scott says, walking into the loft and seeing Derek on the sofa.

Derek sighs, staying seated.

"What do you think you're doing, Derek?" He asks the alpha.

"I'm not gonna have this conversation with you, Scott." Derek shakes his head.

"No, screw that, I don't care." Scott says, his temper getting the best of him.

"Scott." Derek warns him. "Don't start a problem-"

"You've been screwing my sister behind my back, we already have a problem." Scott says, knowing that's what they've been doing and that's part of the reason why it's been kept a secret.

Derek does stand up now, walking over to the beta.

"Let it go, Scott. I'm not going to hurt her." Derek says, keeping his temper in check because he doesn't want to fight with Scott, he wants to be on good terms with the boy.

"You can't mix pack business with pleasure, you just can't." Scott says.

Derek's thrown by the statement.

"What?" He asks, confused.

"What you're doing with Ash, you can't do that." Scott says. "You're the alpha, you're not just a part of the pack. Your relationship with her compromises that." He says. Scott's not sure how much of that is true but he knows Ash and Derek dating probably isn't the best idea right now, not when the Skinwalkers have already tried to kill him once. Being involved with Derek is too dangerous for her, especially right now, they couldn't have picked worse timing.

"What are you saying, Scott?" He asks the younger McCall.

"I'm saying, you need to back off Ash." Scott says.

Derek scoffs, shaking his head.

"I've put alot of trust in you. Then you sneak around behind my back with my sister. These things tried to kill you, Derek. What do you think they're gonna do to her if they find out she's shacking up with you?" Scott asks him.

"I can protect her." Derek growls, getting frustrated with the way both he and Peter keep undermining him, acting like he can't protect, or hold, his own.

"Yeah, _maybe_." Scott says. "But I'm not risking her getting hurt, not again." He says.

"What are you asking me to do?" Derek asks him. "Keep her out of harm's way? Because I can do that-"

"No." Scott shakes his head. "Do you even see where this is heading? It's gonna end with _her_ getting hurt somehow. So, from now on, she's off-limits to you. You can keep an eye on her when I'm not around, but that's all, I mean it. Understand what I'm saying?" Scott says.

"Heh." He huffs out a single dry laugh. "Yeah." Derek nods. "I understand what you're saying perfectly." He says. Like hell he's going to let Scott tell him what he can and can't do, who he can and can't see. Not Scott, not Peter, noone. What's between him and Ash, is between them, noone else. Derek would never pull that crap with Jessie, partly because he knows she wouldn't listen anyway.

But Scott needs Ash is be safe, after everything that's happened to her..he can't see her get hurt again, not by Derek, not by a Skinwalker, not by _anyone_.

"I'm gonna go check the borders across town." Derek says, pulling his leather jacket back on, fishing his keys from his pocket as well.

"You shouldn't go out there alone." Scott tries.

"Trust me, you don't wanna come with me." Derek stops him, meeting the younger man's eyes.

Scott narrows his eyes a little.

After the way Scott just tried to order him around, _commanded_ him to break things off with Ash, Derek doesn't think it's smart he and Scott go out into the woods together, alone. They can't stay quiet forever, and if Scott was to bring up him and Ash's relationship again while they were miles away from anyone else..Derek knows he would do more than just scoff.

"Don't be stupid about this, Derek." Scott says. "I'm just looking out for her. She's my sister, it's what's I _have_ to do, it's my job to look after her." He says.

"Well, now that's my job as well." Derek says, walking past the younger wolf to leave.

Scott catches his arm though, stopping his departure. A growl builds deep in Derek's chest as he turns to face Scott again with blazing red eyes.

He didn't want to fight Scott but the younger male is really pushing his buttons right now. Derek understands Scott's reaction, but it's still not his business what him and Ash do.

"If she gets hurt because of you, you'll be the next thing I'm coming after." Scott warns him before letting his arm go.

"Fair enough." Derek says, letting his eyes return to that human green again. He walks out the door but stops not too far down the hall. He hears Scott walk back towards his own loft. "I'm gonna do everything I can to keep her safe. Stop doubting me." Derek says loud enough for Scott to hear.

But by the time Scott has turned around to look at him, Derek's gone.

He sighs and walks back into his own loft, spotting Jessie and Ash talking outside.

They're talking normally now, even laughing a little, both of them smiling now too.

Jessie knows she has no say in what Derek and Ash decide to do. As long as they understand what she'll do to them if either of them hurt the other, she's leaving the rest of it for them to figure out. She's actually staying _out_ of their private business, because she'd prefer people stayed out of her's and Stiles' private business too.

But sometimes, with siblings being siblings, just trying to protect each other from the purest part of their heart, that private business can find itself being pryed into. Sometimes it takes awhile to find the balance between what you should be sticking your nose into, and what you shouldn't be sticking your nose into.

The pack find themselves at that crossroads at the moment, with both Jessie and Stiles, and Derek and Ash, also just each other and their own business and dirty laundry.

Ash looks up, seeing Scott. Her and Jessie come back inside, Jessie going over to Stiles while Ash walks over to Scott.

"What did you say to him, Scott?" Ash asks him, getting straight to the point.

"The truth." Scott says.

"What does that mean?" Ash asks. Scott doesn't answer because he knows Ash of all people _hate_ having people sticking their noses into things like this. "I'm going to go see him." She sighs, heading for the door.

"Good luck with that." Scott says.

Ash stops, turning back around to face him, confused by the comment.

"He's gone." Scott says. "To check the borders." Scott explains.

Jessie hears Scott say this and frowns, walking back over to them.

"And you let him go alone?" Jessie asks Scott, surprised by this.

"Believe me, he didn't want my company." Scott says.

Ash sighs, pinching the bridge of her nose. She looks to Jessie.

"Hey, you wanna give us a minute alone?" Ash asks Jessie.

"Yeah, sure." Jessie nods. She glances between the two siblings before walking away again.

"You can't do that." Ash says to Scott.

"Do what?" He asks.

" _That_. It doesn't matter what 'beef' you have with Derek, he's pack. And you just let him go off on his own knowing full well how dangerous is it out there. Remember what happened the last time he was alone? He almost _died_ , Scott." Ash lectures him.

Scott looks away from her scowling eyes, looking down at his shoes. He can admit he was blinded by his betrayed feeling that he didn't actually think about any of the things Ash just said.

"He is your alpha. And he would put his neck on the line of you, but it seems you wouldn't do the same for him."

"That's..that's not true, Ash." Scott says, looking back up at her.

"Really?" She asks.

"Yeah, really." Scott says, with more conviction this time around. "I'm gonna go find him, he's gonna be just fine, alright?" Scott says.

"Hey." Ash says, grabbing his arm when he tries to leave too. "You be careful out there, _both_ of you come back to me in one piece." Ash says firmly.

"We will." Scott nods.

Ash lets him go and Scott goes after Derek, following his scent. He had his head too far up his own ass to realise those things before Derek walked out. But he's realised them now. And like Ash said, their safety always comes before their disagreements, _long_ before their disagreements.

..

"I thought you were checking the borders?" Scott asks.

Derek doesn't turn around to face the younger male, but he can hear his voice and hear him walking over.

"I got distracted." He replies.

"Yeah, I can see that." Scott says, stopping beside him, watching as the alpha sucks down on a cigarette and blows out the smoke. "What's with this, man?" Scott asks, motioning to the smoke.

"What do you mean?" Derek asks, dropping the butt to the ground and putting it out underneth his Timberland boot.

"I mean, you're a werewolf, always have been. What are you doing smoking cigarettes?" Scott asks.

"I've never been human, not once in my life. From the moment I was born, I was damned to be what I am." Derek says.

"So, you're saying you smoke to feel normal?" Scott asks with a confused look.

"No. I do it because it's my choice." Derek says, looking over at him now. "But I know you didn't come here to talk about this, so what do you want?" He asks the beta.

"You need someone with you when you do these things, it's too dangerous for you to go out alone." Scott says.

"Really? Because you didn't think so a half hour ago. Where'd you get that line from anyway, one of your school books?" Derek asks, with attitude in his tone, still sour from earlier.

"No, from Ash actually." Scott says, meeting the alpha's eyes evenly. "And she's worried about you, Jessie as well, so let's go." He says, turning around to walk away.

Derek turns around but doesn't follow him.

"It was the, uh, the moment she pulled a knife on Peter in the hospital, when we first found out he was the alpha, that I realised she wasn't anything like any woman I'd ever met." Derek says.

Scott slows to a stop. He exhales and turns back around to face Derek.

"Okay.." Scott says, unsure what to say back to that. "Why are you telling me this? You think I'm gonna change my mind about what I said? Because I'm not. I'm not risking her safety anymore, Derek, not just so you can.." Scott doesn't know how to put it into words that don't make him feel uncomfortable. "She's not risking her life just so you two can get laid, alright?" He says in the most PG way he can.

"You have no idea what you're talking about." Derek says. "What me and her do isn't any of your business, whether it's in the bedroom or not." He says with a bitter look.

"Oh, it isn't?" Scott asks him, closing some of the distance between them. "Because _I_ am the one that gets to pick up the pieces once you're done.." Scott trails off, both him and Derek forgetting about their little arguement as a familiar growl fills the air around them.

"Scott, run." Derek says, turning to face the large Great Dane that is growling at them both, showing it's k-nines that are far too long and sharp and _lethal_ to be a normal dog's teeth.

"No." Scott says, letting his claws come out.

Another dog approaches, an enormous German Sheppard, with the same immense teeth comes up to stand beside the other.

"Scott, go. It's _them_." Derek says, baring his own fangs, getting ready to fight them off. He needs Scott to run while he can, to get to safety because last time Derek was in this sort of position, he almost died, and he's not letting that happen to Scott.

"There's no way I'm leaving you here to fight them yourself." Scott assures him, his fangs coming out too.

Derek glances at him.

Scott meets his eyes, giving the alpha a nod.

Derek nods back before their eyes return to their opponents.

It's the Great Dane that lunges first, followed in a split second by Derek, their large bodies clashing together as Scott goes after the other one, smashing into him as well.

..

..

 **Even with all the crap, Scott won't let Derek just die, they're pack brothers :3 Favourite, follow and review!**


	37. Late Night Confessions

**Feels train hitting you this chapter!**

 **Shout out to:**

 ***Bre: Yes, they always do. I don't know why but I don't mind :)**

 ***Serena Sterling: Exactly! Yes, he is a little hard on Derek but I've always imagined Scott to be as protective, or even more so, of Ash like she is to him because of what their family has been through. But he will get over it :) You're welcome and thanks!**

 ***momentum123: Yay! I will!**

 ***Maxine Hale: They're tough ones those two ;) And shit has not hit the fan yet, not just yet, but soon!**

..

"You'll heal soon." Scott tells Derek, even though he's unsure because it's a pretty bad wound.

He helps the alpha walk up the stairs, supporting his weight while Derek does the same for him as Scott's ankle is broken but starting to heal.

Scott takes Derek into his loft since it's gotten late and they can both hear the even breathing of the sleeping people in the Hale loft.

But, as expected, Ash anticipated this. So, she's still awake, barely, waiting up for them.

She's just finally drifting off when the loft door is pulled open, the two males limping in. She snaps awake when it's closed again with a loud click that cuts through the air, making her jump.

"Oh, my god." She says, losing all signs of sleepiness when she sees the state Scott and Derek are in. She shoots off the couch, racing over to them.

"Careful, Ash." Scott gives her a heads up as she helps him get Derek to the sofa.

She's about to ask once they have him sitting, but she spots the blood before she even opens her mouth. She gently moves the back of his shirt, seeing the long, _deep_ set of claw marks teared from his shoulder to his spine.

"It only clipped me. I'm okay." Derek says, smelling the worry that starts to come off of her, and Scott as well as the beta peeks at the wound properly now too.

"Scott, get my first aid kit." Ash says to her little brother because that is _not_ just getting clipped.

"Ash, no. I'm fine, I've had worse." Derek says, meeting her eyes, trying to remind her of the last time he was at her place and covered in his own blood.

"Scott, go." Ash tells him anyway, ignoring Derek because those were different _circumstances_ compared to these ones. She needs to stitch him up to help him heal, because doing what they did last time isn't really an option right now.

Scott nods, hobbling over to the stairs and using the railing to keep himself steady.

Ash frowns, realising he's hurt too, he was just better at hiding it.

"What the hell happened?" Ash asks Derek as she finishes the shredding job on his shirt, gently peeling it off him so she can inspect the wound properly.

"Two of the Skinwalkers jumped us. They want me dead, Ash." Derek says. "And they're not gonna stop until I am."

Ash ignores the way he says that directly, like he's doubting his decision to not break things off in an effort to protect her.

And he is, just a _little_. But, once again, his desire to have her has clouded over the thought that _maybe_ breaking things off will keep her safe. Because, in reality, she'll never be safe. As much as Derek hates to say it, he is right. Beacon Hills isn't safe, even without these Skinwalkers. The truth that they all know, about the supernatural, they know about the _world_. They can never be truely safe anywhere, but hell, they can _definitely_ try to keep each other safe.

"If Scott wasn't there, I would have been dead this time." Derek says.

That makes Ash frown, concerned. She doesn't want him just taking off into the woods by himself like that. She's just glad they're okay, because Derek hasn't always been this lucky in the past. And next time, one of them might not make it back in one piece. And that would _shatter_ Ash's heart.

Scott comes down the stairs, the first aid kit in his hands.

Ash shakes away those depressing thoughts and jumps up behind Derek, sitting on the top of the back of the sofa so she's higher up than him where she an access the top of his wound. She takes the kit from Scott's out-stretched hand, opening it and starting to dig through it for what she requires.

"What happened to you?" Ash asks Scott, worried, her eyes jumping between threading a needle and over to Scott.

"My ankle..I think it's broken." Scott says, cringing when he feels some pain as he settles down on the other sofa where he can rest it for a moment.

"What can I do?" Ash asks, tying the end of the thread off.

"It'll heal on it's own by morning, nothing we can do." Scott tells her.

Ash is still frowning though.

"It's okay, Ash, really. I'll be fine, it's him that needs the help." Scott says, gesturing to Derek.

That's when Scott notices the alpha is now shirtless. Scott can now see how bad the wound really is.

"Yeah, focus on him. He needs your help right now." Scott says, frowning as he sees how deep and long the claw marks are.

"I don't need..ah." Derek cringes as Ash pushes the needle through the skin on the top of his shoulder without warning.

"Sorry." Ash says, making sure she's gentler the next time she does it. She gives his bicep a soft squeeze in apology too. She tries to be subtle about it but Scott notices, but he doesn't comment on it.

They're quiet for a half hour. Ash is still stitching, Scott's still healing, and Derek's still sitting still.

But Scott can't stop the yawn that passes his lips.

"I might get in bed." He says, covering his mouth with his hand. He looks between the two adults, knowing they still have alot of stitching up to do but Scott can't stay up any longer, he's exhausted. "Help me home when you're done and lock up when you're back." Scott says, telling them both that they will sleep in their own bed tonight, _seperately_.

"Yes, sir." Ash says without sarcasm, not wanting to make things worse than the night's events have already made things.

Scott goes upstairs to his room, leaving the two adults downstairs by themselves.

Ash finishes his stitches in a comfortable silence.

When she's done, she can see the wound trying to close, the skin coming back together.

"It's healing." Ash says.

"Yeah, I can feel it." Derek nods.

Ash isn't exactly sure what compells her to do it, but her hands slip to his shoulders.

Derek's posture softens and the tension high in his neck and back fades away when Ash starts to rub his shoulders, being careful of his healing wound though.

His mouth opens a little because it feels really good. He shuts his eyes and leans forward so his elbows rest on his knees making his back cock out a little more so she has better access to it.

Ash smiles softly and moves a little closer to him, sitting down behind him on the sofa.

"Feels good to be the one being taken care of for once, right?" She asks him.

"Yeah." He nods. "Maybe I should let you take care of me more often." He mumbles, getting lost in how amazing something so simple can feel when you're as wound up as he is.

"Was that a sexual innuendo?" Ash asks, amused.

"No, you've got that part down pat." He says, amusement in his voice as well now.

Ash blushes and continues to rub the knots out of his shoulders and the back of his neck.

"Jesus, Derek. When was the last time someone did this to you?" She asks him because he's so buckled in his back.

Werewolf abilities may heal physical wounds, but they don't heal stress of emotionally inflicted scars. They don't heal the many years of self-depise, guilt and anger he's carried around with him either.

"When my Mom was alive." Derek answers her truthfully.

Ash's hands slow until they stop, resting on his back.

"Sorry." Ash says gently.

"Don't apologise." He says, glancing back at her. "I started learning to shift when I was 12. It hurt in the beginning, it took a long time for my body to get used to the shift. She used to do this to all of us to help us when we first started, our hands too." He says, flexing his fingers a little.

"Because of the claws, right?" Ash asks.

"Yeah." He nods.

"Will you.." Ash trails off, unsure if she should ask. But she's too curious not too ask. "Will you tell me about them, about your family?" She asks cautiously.

Derek stiffens and stands up.

Ash knows right then that she should have kept her mouth shut.

"Maybe another day, alright?" He says. He says too exhausted to go through all of that after what him and Scott just went through.

"Yeah." Ash nods, even though she's already made the decision to never poke around in his family's business again, for his sake as well as her's. "C'mon, I'll help you home." She says, thinking she's ruined thier 'moment'.

Ash stands up and brings his arm around her shoulders.

The two walk over to the Hale loft, finding it quiet and dark inside.

"Stiles must be here." Ash comments, spotting his Jeep keys on the coffee table.

"Yeah, upstairs." Derek says, glancing in the direction of Jessie's bedroom where he can hear the boy's erratic heartbeat alongside his little sister's one.

"You're okay with that?" Ash asks, referring to Stiles sleeping in Jessie's room with her, as she helps him to sit down on his bed.

"I'm trying to be." Derek says honestly.

Ash gives him a soft smile because she knows how hard it is for an older sibling to let a younger sibling go. Ash had the same problem when Scott started dating Allison. And she knows she's _definitely_ going to have that same problem, if not worse, when Jade's old enough to date.

"Okay.. Well.. Goodnight." Ash says awkwardly.

Derek catches her hand as she tries to walk away from him.

"Wait." He says.

She stops, facing him again. She glances down at his hand wrapped around her's and then back up to his face again.

"Don't go. Stay." He says.

"What?" Ash asks.

"Stay here, with me." Derek says.

"I mean..are you sure?" Ash asks him. "I-I thought you'd be mad at me about before.." She says.

"No, I'm not mad at you. And yeah, I'm sure." He says.

She keeps looking at him, unsure.

"C'mon." He says, nodding to his bed.

Ash nods slowly. He gets into bed, guiding her in as well so she abides, following his lead. She doesn't lay as close to him as she usually would, and that makes the wolf frown.

Yes, he knows she thought she did something wrong by asking about his family, he knows that, he could tell by the look on her face. But it wasn't _wrong_ , Derek's reaction just jumped out of him like some kind of instinct. An instinct to guard the part of him that's still just that same broken 16 year old boy who lost his family and his home 6 years ago.

So, Derek wraps his arm around her waist, pulling her closer to him.

Ash is relieved by his actions, because she really thought she'd messed up. And now that Ash has stopped and laid down, and she's got Derek right here so she knows she's safe, she can feel exactly how tired she is. In fact, it only takes a few minutes for her eyes to droop, for it to be difficult to open them again.

Ash yawns softly, curling a little closer to Derek and his warmth. She blinks, finally letting her eyes stay shut this time as it's too much of a chore to keep them open anymore, and nuzzles her face againist his chest to get comfortable.

Derek brushes her hair gently out of her face, tightening his arm around her waist so she's just a little more closer to him, until they're laying as they usually sleep.

Derek tries too, but he can't get to sleep. He can't relax. He can't even keep his eyes shut for more than a few seconds.

He's been pensive since that question slipped from Ash's lips.

 _Will you tell me about them, about your family?_

His _family_. His Mom, Tahlia. His Dad, Brandon. His big sister, Laura. His youngest sister, Cora. And, the man Peter _used_ to be as well. All of them that died in the fire.

"We used to train together in the woods every Sunday." The words slip from Derek's mouth before he can stop himself.

Ash is startled back to conciousness when she hears him speak, his chest rumbling under her cheek. Her eyes peel open again and she looks up at him.

"Wha'?" She asks sleepily.

"In the woods, noone was around on Sunday nights. No joggers, walkers, runners, whatever. People stayed home, stayed with their families. So my family went deep into woods where we could shift and fight and train without anyone stumbling across us." He tells her.

"That's a hell of a bonding session." Ash says, more awake now as she realises this is Derek opening up to her about his family.

"It was." He says. "My Mom was only just starting to teach my sister to lead us, so she could take Mom's place when she stepped down."

"Your sister is Laura, right?" Ash asks him.

"She was the oldest one, yes."

"Wait..what do you mean?" Ash asks, becoming even more awake now. "I thought you only had the one other sister?" She questions.

"No." Derek shakes his head. He frowns a little bit.

"You don't have to tell me." Ash assures him, putting her hand on his chest when she sees those memories coming back to haunt him.

"No, I do." He says, because he knows about her past, about her family. It's time he told her some of his as well.

He sits up and Ash sits up as well, looking at him.

"Her name was Cora." Derek says. He's never told anyone about Cora before, him and Jessie never talk about her, not since the fire. "She was 2 when the fire happened."

Ash fells her stomach drop and she understands why this Cora has never come up before. Because she wasn't just a child, she was a _baby_. She was about Jade's age. There's something so _horrible_ about losing someone so young, someone who's barely gotten a chance at life. And maybe that's part of the reason why Derek's always been protective of Jade, even when he and Ash weren't getting along.

"Jessie came home early and.." Ash sees the alpha's guard drop completely, more like _crumble_ to pieces. "She saw it happening. Those scars on her forearm? She tried to get Mom out of the basement..she couldn't."

Ash actually feels tears sting behind her eyes because that's horrible, Ash couldn't imagine a worse hell than having to watch your family die and not be able to do anything to stop it.

Ash gently rubs his shoulder, trying to help soothe his lengths of emotional pain.

"I smelt the smoke first, and then the..rest of it." He doesn't say what it was he really smelt but it isn't hard to guess. Burning flesh. "I was running home, as fast as I could and I just..all I could hear were my family screaming. But the worst part? I could hear Cora crying from her nursey. Then it just..stopped. All the noise stopped. All of it aside Jessie screaming for help. And by the time I actually got there, it was too late, I couldn't do anything. The only thing I could do was help Jessie. Mom cut her deep, she didn't mean too. We sat there, I took Jessie's pain, and we waited for help to come. Laura didn't know what happened until the police called her. She pretty much took us right away after that, we moved to South America, far from the life we knew before." He tells her.

The room falls quiet after that and Derek refuses to look at her. He feels like there's this weight off his shoulders after talking to Ash about it, definitely not all of it, but some of it is gone, a little bit of it. And that makes him feel the slightest bit better.

Ash has no idea what to say back to that. She can say comforting things, but she knows nothing she could do or say will _ever_ erase those memories from him or Jessie. And Ash hates that she can't help them.

"I'm so sorry, Derek." Ash says. "I..I'm sorry." She doesn't know what else to say to him.

"Yeah, me too." He nods.

He doesn't tell her about Kate, he knows some of the pack have their suspicions after the things they saw back then, but he also knows none of them would directly ask him. And he doesn't need to relive that part of it, because it makes him hate himself even more.

"It's late, we should get some sleep." He says, not wanting to talk about the fire anymore.

But Ash has other plans.

Ash decides to let something spill over from deep inside her as well, hoping that her countering of her own secret will do more for him than telling him ' _everything's okay_ ' would do.

"My um..my Dad, when he left for good, he didn't just leave." Ash says.

Derek finally looks at her now.

For a split second, Ash swears she sees tears in the man's eyes but as quick as she saw them, they're gone.

"At our old place, there's this mark on the floor, at the bottom of the stairs." Ash continues. She bites at her bottom lip nervously, because she hasn't let herself think about this in a _long_ time. Just like Derek hasn't let himself think of the day of the fire in a long time either.

"My Dad was drunk when he walked out. He..he got so mad and he snapped. I remember I didn't get to speak to Mom until the day after it happened. Things were getting crazy at college and I was a mess after Jacob-"

Derek insides twist a little at the thought of that guy trying to weasel his way back into Ash's life. But they haven't heard from him in awhile so Derek's counting that as a blessing. But he also hasn't come by to say goodbye to Ash either, as far as Derek knows, so he's unsure if the man has left town yet. Saying goodbye to Ash seems like something he'd definitely want to do.

"I was crying, and-and then she tells me that the night before, Rafael had packed his bags and left, for good this time." Ash goes on. "It felt like..I don't know. But when I got home later that day, it..it was so much worse than I thought." It's Ash's turn to frown at the mental picture, at the _memory_ , of what she saw.

"You're safe with me, Ash. It's okay." Derek assures her, speaking up for the first time since he told her what happened to his family.

Ash nods, looking down into her lap, fidgetting. But she doesn't continue.

Derek reaches over and puts his hands over her's, stopping her fidgetting because she doesn't need to be nervous around him.

"Ash?" Derek says.

She looks up at him, tears in her eyes. But she quickly wipes them away.

Derek catches her hands, pulling them down to her lap.

"I feel like an idiot." She admits, looking down at their hands so she doesn't have to look at him.

"Why?" Derek asks her.

"You tell me that and you don't even bat an eye, and I can't even talk about-" She hiccups and frowns, embarassed.

"Don't compare our tragedies, Ash, they're different." Derek tells her. "We all deal with things differently, you know that." He says, knowing it's true as well.

He became cold after the fire, where Jessie was just a wreck. Laura held hersef together well, when the other two Hales were around that is, and she held them together too. That was her job as the big sister.

Ash didn't lose most of her family like he did, well, she did but not in the same way. Derek's family were _stolen_ from him, Ash's father left. He _left_ , by his own hand. He wasn't forced, he wasn't told to, he just woke up one morning and _decided_ to walk away from his wife and children and unborn baby. Derek is right, their tragedies are not the same, but both hurt as much as each other.

"What happened when you came home?" Derek asks her.

"I.." Ash sighs, looking up at him again. "The house was just..a mess. There was broken glass, mostly beer bottles. He lost it, broke things, yelled, took things. But that wasn't the worst of it..not by a long shot. The uh..that mark in the floor? When Rafael was leaving, Scott tried to stop him, he-he just wanted his Dad to stay with him, he was too young to understand what was happening at the time, but.." She's surprising herself because she's actually finding it hard to keep it together right now.

There's something about the way Derek's striking green eyes are looking at her that makes it so hard for her to guard herself and hide behind her 'macho' attitude she usually has.

But Derek can see this isn't just about making him feel better about what he revealed anymore. He can see she needs to get this out as well, someone else needs to know what happened.

"Mom told me what happened. Scott tried to pull him back up the stairs, Rafael grabbed him to push him out of the way and-and Scott pulled back and.." Ash never saw it happen, she was only told about it, she never had to watch it happen like her mother did, but Ash can imagine it, and it makes her feel sick. "He f-fell down the stairs and cracked his head open on the floor." Ash says shakily.

"He doesn't remember, does he?" Derek asks her, realising this has been kept between Melissa and Ash only.

"No." Ash shakes her head. "Mom got him to the E.R and they fixed him up before he woke up. He..he didn't remember anything, he didn't even remember Rafael leaving, Mom had to tell him and it was horrible." Ash says. She exhales shakily, feeling more tears fill her eyes.

"I was so stupid. I-I lied to Scott about that, I lied about what Rafael did to me and you almost died because of it. More people could have gotten hurt because of me, Jade or Scott could have gotten hurt." She says, a tear slipping down her face as she looks at Derek. "I keep lying and-and people keep getting hurt and it's my fault-"

"Ash, none of what has happened to anyone is your fault. Not to me, not to Scott, not to your Mom." He says, knowing a huge part of Ash blames herself for what happened to Melissa. Derek feels a little guilt, because he told her at the hospital that if people got hurt because of her lies then it was her fault. He was just trying to get her to be honest, that's all.

Ash just shakes her head though, becoming increasingly upset.

"I'm s-sorry, I didn't mean for any of that to happen." She says, another few tears following that one. "I never wanted you to get hurt, I never wanted anyone to get hurt." It's like she's confessing her sins, trying to make up for the things she's done wrong, that _she_ thinks she's done wrong.

"Hey, I'm here now, and I'm okay." He assures her, wiping the tears away with his thumb. "We're all okay, Ash."

But the tears are very quickly replaced with fresh ones as Ash starts to cry, unable to stop herself.

"C'mere." Derek says, guiding her closer to him.

Ash hugs into him, letting his arms envelope her and hold her close to his own body.

"He's gone now, you're okay." Derek tells her, brushing his hand down her hair as she clings to him, crying into his chest. "It's over, Ash, I promise."

"I just want my f-family b-back." She sobs, her heart aching as she thinks of the family she's lost along the way. Her Grandmother. Her Grandfather. Her Mom. And her father too, in a sense.

The alpha squeezes his eyes shut, feeling a dull ache in his chest and a watery stinging behind his own eyes. For two reasons, for his own loses and desire to have his family back as well, and because it's hurting him to see Ash so upset like this, kicking herself over something she shouldn't, just like when Ash sees Derek blame himself for things he shouldn't.

"Shhh, it's okay." He whispers, holding her close to him.

It takes awhile, but eventually, Ash's cries die down and her heart slows as her eyelids get too heavy to keep open again.

"Get some sleep, Ash." Derek says softly.

The girl drowsily chokes out another soft sob.

"Everything will be better when you wake up, okay?" He says to her.

Ash is too tired to speak so she just nods, hoping he's right.

Derek brings an arm around her waist and one around her shoulders, cradling her and warming her as she slowly drifts off to sleep.

..

..

 **I told you there would be feels! And there's more next chapter too! Favourite, follow and review!**


	38. Plan A

**Shout out to:**

 ***Serena Sterling: Aw, it doesn't matter if it's not a word because it fits perfectly :3 I agree, and I added it in for this chapter! You're welcome and thanks!**

 ***Bre: Yes, it came late again but that's okay :) Thank you, I hope to progress their relationship until it's less physical, but still some of course ;), and more about the emotional side but without making them OOC.**

 ***TheHungryRainbow: She does, doesn't she? So does he though!**

 **So.. I don't think I'm done using Jacob's character yet.. If he were to come back in, he probably won't be a baddie but he won't be their friend either, you know? I'm not sure.. I just think he wouldn't have left things the way they were between he and Ash considering he obviously still likes her alot. But, we will see!**

..

Ash wakes up, only to find Derek is already awake.

She rolls onto her stomach, look over at him.

Derek turns around when he hears movement and hears her heartbeat become slightly uneven and a little faster as it usually is when the erratic girl is concious.

"Hey." She says sleepily, resting her chin on her hands and meeting his eyes with half-closed eyes of her own.

"Morning." He says.

Ash's eyes dart of to the window and the sun's only just coming up now so it's early.

"How long have you been up?" Ash asks, looking back over at him again.

"Couldn't sleep. How you feeling?" He quickly moves past his answer to check on her, as he sits back down on the bed beside her.

"Better, I guess. You didn't sleep? Not at all?" She gives her answer and goes back to him though.

He doesn't reply so Ash gives him a firm look, raising her eyebrows.

"Derek?" She says.

"No, okay?" He sighs.

"Why the hell not?" She asks with a sigh of her own.

"I had too much on my mind last night, I couldn't." He says honestly. "I just..I wanted to make sure you slept through the night and didn't have any..you know." He admits, not saying the word 'nightmares' but Ash understands that's what he means, which means he knows about the bad nightmares she occasionally has.

Ash looks away awkwardly because she didn't think anyone other than Scott knew, but she's wrong, more than just Derek know, she just seems to think that maybe they don't care enough to notice but she's wrong about that too.

"I'm sorry I made last night all about me." She apologies, once again looking at him. "It was supposed to be about you."

"No, I said what I needed too, and so did you. It was about us both." He says.

"Okay, well, I'm sorry for getting so upset like that-"

"Ash, you really gotta stop apologising for things you can't control, things that aren't your fault." Derek says. "It's okay, Ash. It's all okay."

"That's not the only thing I'm sorry about though." Ash shakes her head. "I haven't been kind to you in the past-"

"Don't apologise for that." He stops her. "I wasn't that kind to you either-"

"That's not true. I got what I deserved, and you still helped me, and my family." Ash says. "I can't..I can't forget that day, with the-the Oxy. And I don't mean what I did or didn't do, I mean what I called you. You're not cold-hearted, you've never been cold-hearted." Ash takes back what she said months ago, because in the last couple weeks, he's showed he's the exact opposite to a ' _cold-hearted bastard_ ' and Ash needs to settle that right now too.

Her hand comes to his chest, resting over his heart. Ash can feel his heart softly thumping under her fingers.

"I'm sorry." Ash says.

Derek looks down at her, meeting her eyes. He brings his hand over her's that's on his chest. He doesn't respond, because she doesn't have to apologise for any of that, that's in the past, things are _obviously_ different between them now. He just leans forward and kisses her.

Ash pulls back, frowning a little, but it's not in rejection.

"Hey, I'm trying to be sentimental here." She says.

"Okay then." Derek nods, pulling back again. "Go on." He says, giving her the chance to finish.

"Oh..no, I was done." Ash says. She chuckles and leans forward, kissing him this time. He shakes his head fondly before kissing her back.

Before their conversation is forgotten past their locked lips, Derek pulls back again, looking at her.

"What are you doing, Ash?" He asks her.

"What do you mean? I'm..kissing you?" She says, confused. "Am I suddenly not allowed to do that or something?" She frowns.

"No, you can, of course you can." He assures her. "But..why are you being so repentant?" He asks her.

"I don't know, I just.. After last night, thinking about all that crap again..I just wish I could take some things I've said or done back, you know? Change things? For the better?" She says.

"Yeah, I know what you mean." He nods.

"And what you told me last night, I don't know why _she_ did that to your family but you gotta know..it wasn't your fault, Derek." Ash says.

Derek sighs, shaking his head.

"I caused to fire." He says.

"What? No, you didn't. Kate-"

"I was dating her." Derek cuts her off, needing to get this out this time around, needing to make Ash understand his sin and not let him off so easy, not after the hell he and the little family he had left went through in the days and weeks that followed the infamous Hale fire.

"You what?" Ash asks, unsure if she heard that right.

"She was using me to get to them. I didn't know who she was, I had no clue, not until it was too late." He admits, averting his eyes away from her as he feels his shame protrude out again, his _guilt_.

Ash thinks about it for a moment, about how Kate was always _odd_ when she dealt with Derek. The way she'd look him up and down with approval of a more _stimulating_ kind, in the same kind of way Ash looks at him, except Ash doesn't do it to hurt or manipulate, only to appreciate him.

But, the pieces fit together easily enough now that Derek's said that.

"Okay." Ash says.

Derek looks back at her when she doesn't say anything else.

"That's all you're gonna say? ' _Okay_ '?" He asks her, like he's offended with the reply, but he's just shocked, surprised, that she really is letting him off this easy because Derek believes he deserves to be punished for what he's done, it's why he doesn't feel sorry for himself when horrible things happen to him, he just figures it's karma or something, _what goes around comes around_.

"What do you want me to say?" Ash asks him, actually curious as to what reaction he was looking to get.

She's not going to explode and yell, say horrible things and make him feel disgusting, because _it wasn't his goddamn fault_. He was tricked, _played_ , just like Kate's probably done to so many other people. Ash feels nothing for that woman, no sorrow, no saddness, and _absolutely_ no regret for what Peter did to her. She deserved every second of pain she was in. In fact, she deserved more. She died in seconds, bleeding out, while the Hales would have burned for minutes, agonosing _minutes_ , feeling their own skin and flesh fry to a crisp before they either died from the inflicted wounds or maybe just from the smoke inhiltion, _if_ they were that lucky. And the emotional damage that was left on the surviving Hales, the _physical_ damage left on Jessie..Ash could _never_ blame Derek for that. She just wishes he could see it the way she does, that he's not at fault, he's a _survivor_.

"You didn't know who she was. Yeah, I mean, I can see why you might think you're to blame but-"

" _Think_?" He questions, standing up again, a deep frown darkening his face. "I _am_ to blame."

"No, you're not." Ash shakes her head, getting out of bed and standing up as well now. "You had _no_ idea. She knew what she was doing, you aren't responsible for her or her actions."

"Yeah? Well, maybe if I wasn't so blind, I would have seen that she was just-"

"Just what, Derek?" Ash asks him. "Do you realise how hard is it to see someone's using you? To see past the love you have for them?" She asks.

Derek stays quiet, unsure how to answer that.

"You know, now that it's done and I've had the time to really think about it, I don't think that was the first time Jacob cheated on me. But how was I supposed to see that, right? I thought I was in love and that we'd be together forever, it was stupid. But I didn't know that, not until it was _too late_." She says, trying to make him understand.

She sighs, rubbing her hand down her face.

"I don't wanna argue with you. And I can't make you think what I think. But, just so you know, their sins are on _them_ , not us." She says softly.

Derek just looks at her with intrigument, wondering how the hell he got this girl. Wondering how he found someone that would stand up to him and argue back like that, and not give in to him no matter how much he flashed his eyes or showed his fangs. Wondering how she's managed up to put up with his attitude, his personality and his temper without walking away, like he expects most people will do. Hell, he's still surprised the pack have stuck around, that Jessie has too. But he's happy they have. As odd as it may sound, he can no longer imagine his life without them anymore, he doesn't think he wants to even _try_ picture it.

"You have a beautiful family, Derek." She says.

"Had." He corrects her sadly. "I _had_ a beautiful family."

Ash sighs and walks around the bed to his side. She takes his hand, pulling him to sit down on the bed with her again. She reaches up behind her, unclasping her necklace. She holds the locket in her hand, bringing it out in front of her.

"Before my Mom died, she gave this to me." Ash says.

Derek glances up at her but she just keeps looking at the gold heart locket.

"She's had it since before Jade was born." She says. She opens the locket, showing him the picture inside of it.

Derek looks at a younger version of the McCall family. All of them. Melissa and Hailey sitting together. Ash holding a newborn baby which Derek can tell is Jade. And a young Scott. All of them, except Rafael.

"I was _so_ mad that she was letting Rafael back into our lives again. She gave me this and told me that the people in the picture were my family, that they'd _always_ be my family." She closes the locket again, squeezing it tightly in her hand. She looks up, meeting Derek's green orbs.

"Dead or alive, they're still your family. Melissa's still my Mom, just like your Mom is still your Mom. Just..don't forget that, ever." Ash says. She looks down at the locket again with a sad frown. "Here or not, nothing will _ever_ change that." She says.

Derek looks at her hand, noticing she's holding onto the locket so tightly that her knuckles are white. He gently pries her hand open, taking it into his own hand. He stands up and goes behind her, putting the necklace back around her neck and clasping it together again, with a little difficulty as he isn't used to dealing with jewellery, obviously.

He walks back around to stand in front of her, guiding her to her feet again.

Ash watches him, wondering what he's going to do.

He leans in and kisses her again. But it's not just a kiss, it's like a 'thank you' but without words.

Ash wraps her arms around his back and hugs him close, not letting him pull back just yet.

"You okay?" He asks her, resting his arms on her lower back, looking down at her.

Ash nods with her cheek againist his shoulder.

"Hey, Derek. Stiles just.." Jessie walks into his room but pauses. "Oh.. I.. Sorry." She says, realising he's not alone like she thought he would be.

Ash steps back and they both turn to the younger girl.

"What has Stiles done now?" Derek asks her, neither him or Ash justifying themselves because they don't have too.

"He and Scott found out who the guy in the hospital is." Jessie says, moving past the subject.

"The guy the Skinwalkers put there?" Ash asks her.

"Yeah." Jessie nods. "Why don't you two get some clothes on and join us?" She suggests with a teasing smirk. She leaves the room after that, closing the door behind her.

Derek pulls out a fresh shirt and grabs Ash's hoodie from off the end of the bed. He hands it to her and she pulls it back on over her singlet while Derek puts his shirt on.

"Scott's out there." Ash says, looking at the bedroom door.

"Yeah, he is." Derek nods.

Ash nods, taking a breath before walking ot of the room, Derek following her.

Scott's eyes shoot up from Jade's face and it takes him only a second to notice Ash's bed hair. Because she stayed here last night. With Derek. Scott looks over at Derek next and the alpha meets his eyes evenly.

Derek's not going to call things off with Ash just because Scott said so. He does understand that the young man just wants to keep her safe but Derek's already said it once and he'll say it again, _he_ _will keep her safe_.

Stiles looks between the two werewolves before deliberately clearing his throat loudly, to draw their attention to him.

"We found out who the guy in the hospital is." Stiles says, slapping the file down on the dining room table.

Derek, Ash, Jessie and Scott are drawn to Stiles and the file.

"His name's George Harrison." Stiles continues, opening up the file for them to see.

Isaac is attracted by the noise as well, joining them downstairs and over by the table.

Peter's god knows where though. That's probably for the best right now, especially considering they certainly don't need anymore tension than there already is in the Hale loft.

"He's still in the hospital on bed rest but he's not critical anymore, he's pulled through the worst of it. He's gonna survive and fully recover." Stiles says, making them all feel a little better.

But Derek knows there's fault to that statement and he has to suck that good feeling from the air even though he doesn't really want too.

"No." Derek shakes his head, making them all look at him with frowns. "They won't let him live. They'll hunt him down and finish the job. It's what they do."

Scott looks over at him with narrowed eyes, because if they'd do that to George, they'll do it to Derek too. Once again, if Ash is attached to him, she's in danger too.

"Then we have to kill them before they do that." Jessie says, looking at Derek.

"Yeah." Derek nods in agreement. "I'll go to B.H Memorial. I'll talk to Harrison, see what I can dig up about his attack."

"I'll come too." Ash says.

Scott looks over at her now but Ash speaks before he can object.

"You can't just waltz in there. There's security measures taken, especially for patients that are or have been on the critical list." Ash says, knowing this from her mother's few hundred work stories she'd tell her once she got home from a long day at the hospital. "I'll lie, say I need a check-up on my hand. My Doc works in that department. It's dirty, but at least it gets us in." She says.

Jessie, like she was when she first arrived back in Beacon Hills, is still impressed by how this pack binds the illegal and the legal together to form a foulproof plan.

"Then I'm coming too." Scott says, wanting to be there to look after his sister in case it goes south.

"Okay." Derek nods. "Me, Scott and Ash will do this. Ash will get us in, we'll question Harrison." Derek says, the second part to Scott, which the beta nods to in agreement.

Jessie and Stiles share a look, wondering if Derek and Scott working together is a good idea or not right now.

"We need to find anything else we can on them, it'd be best if we knew where to find at least one of them. That way, we can pin him down, squeeze him for information, try and figure out why this is happening." Derek says.

"To stop it from happening ever again." Ash corrects him, because this is more than just personal for her, they killed her goddamn mother, _stole_ her away from her family.

Derek looks over at her and nods.

"Yeah, we will." He promises her.

Ash looks up at meet his eyes, his magically green eyes that she likes so much.

"Yeah." She nods back.

..

..

 **The pack are ready to kick ass and take names, especially Ash! Favourite, follow and review!**


	39. Perfect Execution

**Very sorry for the** _ **very**_ **late update! I don't know why but I seemed to think I already updated. Obviously, I did not. I will update again as usual so you'll be getting two in the same day!**

 **Shout out to:**

 ***Serena Sterling: Yes, she was right! I don't know about the whole Paige story..I don't know if I liked that as apart of the tv show either, it seems he's gone through enough without adding that to it. So, I don't know yet, sorry. But yes, they should be apart of the family Hale pack!**

 ***TheHungryRainbow: Yes, always, for the win!**

..

Ash, Scott and Derek walk through the double doors of the hospital entrace together, as planned.

Peter's still MIA.

Isaac's stayed back at the Hale loft, his phone in his hand in case something goes wrong and Derek needs to call in some help.

Jessie and Stiles have taken over for Scott, looking after Jade.

Jessie craddles her as the couple walk over to the Mccall loft to put the sleepy toddler down for a mid-morning nap.

Stiles leans againist the doorframe of Ash's room, watching Jessie with the baby.

She gently lowers Jade into her crib, placing the blanket over her.

"Get some sleep." Jessie says quietly, softly tracing her fingertip down Jade's nose like she remembers her own mother used to do with her when she was young to help her fall asleep.

Stiles walks over to Jessie, draping his arm around her waist.

Jessie smiles at him and leans her head on his shoulder.

"She's so cute." Jessie comments, looking at the toddler in her crib, now seconds away from unconciousness.

"She is." Stiles nods in agreement with a soft smile. "Come on, let's go downstairs and let her sleep." He says, taking Jessie's hand in his.

Jessie follows his lead, the two of them walking out of the room and down the stairs. Jessie lets his hand go and sits down on the sofa.

"Come sit in front of me." Jessie says to him. Stiles abides, sitting down on the floor, Jessie's legs on either side of his back. She can sees he's stressing a little himself, so her hands come to the back of his neck, rubbing it gently with her thumbs like she knows he likes.

Stiles relaxes under her touch, letting her hands work away at his anxiety he's holding heavy in the top of his back.

"What's going on with you, Stiles?" She asks him, not used to feeling this much roughness under her hands when she does this.

"Hmm." He sighs, leaning closer to her hands because it feels really good and it is helping. "I'm just worried, after Melissa then Derek and my Dad, what happened to Ash..I just don't want anyone else to get hurt." He says. "Melissa's death..it _broke_ them, it broke me as well. I can't..I can't lose anyone else." He says. He leans his head back to look up at Jessie. "I can't lose you."

Jessie's hands stop and she looks down at him.

"Stiles, baby, you're not gonna lose me." She promises him, brushing his hair back with her hands gently.

Stiles looks down at his lap again.

"Yeah, you say that now." He mumbles, but Jessie hears him.

She frowns at his doubt in her, knowing he's not _really_ doubting her feelings for him, he's just doubting, well, _everything_. There's too much going on for him to feel secure, they're all feeling that to different degrees at the moment.

Jessie leans forward and kisses the back of his neck gently. Stiles turns to her in surprise but Jessie puts her hands on his head, making him face forward again as she trails feather light kisses around his neck until she reaches his throat.

"Jess..you should stop." Stiles says, not wanting to get too excited then have to stop anyway.

"Why? We're alone, they won't be back for awhile." Jessie says, still kissing his neck. "If you really want me to stop, just say and I will." She says.

But Stiles doesn't stop her, his eyes just slip shut as he leans his head back some more so she has better access to his neck, her lips coming over his Adam's apple.

And that's how their babysitting session turns more into a baby- _making_ session.

..

"Just through those doors, Doctor Bailey will be in in a couple of minutes." The receptionist tells Ash.

"Thank you." She says, giving her a smile.

Ash is let through the doors beside her and she goes and sits down outside Bailey's office. Ash takes her phone out of her pocket and texts Scott. She looks up, seeing Derek comes into the hospital.

Ash clenches her teeth, watching as a big flirtatious smile comes to the man's face as he speaks to the female receptionist, distracting her. Ash feels jealously twirl in her gut, seeing his dimples and white teeth and everything as he smiles, something she's only had to luxury of seeing once, maybe twice. But she knows he's only doing it as a distraction, still, she's a female, she's bound to feel a little jealous. Wouldn't you be if the man that shares your bed was flirting with another woman right in front of you?

Ash presses the button from the inside, Scott slipping in the doors too while the receptionist is distracted by Derek's striking features.

"What about Derek?" Ash asks him, glancing over at him and back to Scott again.

Scott looks at her, not commenting on the jealously he smells coming from her.

"He'll find a way in, give him a minute." Scott says. "The Doc's coming, I better go." Scott says.

Ash nods and watches as Scott slips out of sight.

"Miss McCall." Doctor Bailey says when he sees one if his patients, as he walks down the hall towards his office.

Ash stands up, giving him a smile and a greeting nod.

"Hi, I just wanted to check in about my hand. It's been aching a little bit lately, I'm worried it might be worse than we first thought." Ash lies.

"Come on through, I've got a few spare minutes until my next meeting comes a'knocking." He says, opening the door for her.

Ash smiles thankfully as Scott continues down the halls unseen. As Ash walks into the office, she glances back at the reception area to find Derek's gone and the receptionist's typing away on her computer again.

Scott follows the numbers on the door, glancing down at the piece of paper Stiles wrote George Harrison's room number on, courtsey of the basic hacking techniques Ash taught the already problematic male.

And.." Scott says to himself, closing in on the room number. "Here." He says, stopping in front of room number 17.

Scott opens the door, walking inside and closely the door behind him quietly. He peeks at the man laying in his hospital bed, he looks very weak even though Stiles said he'll be fine, that he's made it through the worst.

"Mr Harrison?" Scott says, stepping closer to him.

The man turns to his side, seeing Scott.

"Yes?" He says, sounding as weak as he looks. "Who are you?"

"It's okay, I'm not going to hurt you." Scott assures him, walking over to his bed. "I just need to ask you about your attack." He says.

Mr Harrison's eyes widen and he lunges for his help button.

Scott quickly catches his hand though.

"HELP-" He starts to shout but suddenly Derek's at his side too, clamping his hand over the man's mouth.

Scott looks up at Derek in surprise and Derek gives him a nod.

"It's okay, we're not going to hurt you, I promise." Scott assures him, both holding him still and quiet.

Harrison struggles againist them but it's no use, he's nothing againist two werewolves.

"Listen to me, whatever attacked you, it killed my mother too, and alot of other innocent people in this town." He says. "We _need_ your help."

Harrison slowly stops struggling, his eyes meeting Scott's.

Scott looks at Derek and nods for him to let Harrison go. Derek does, slowly. And the older man doesn't yell out for help. So, Scott slowly lets his hand go as well.

"They..they said it was an animal." George Harrison says, looking between the two younger males.

"What do _you_ say it was?" Derek asks him.

Harrison is quiet for a moment, he's skeptical because the police didn't really believe his story of what he really saw, they just chalked it down to shock and the drugs from the meds he's getting to keep him alive and help him heal.

"What did you see?" Derek asks when he doesn't get a response to the first question.

"It was.." Harrison trails off.

"It's okay, we'll believe you, just be honest." Scott assures him, his ears focused on the man's heartbeat as well, just to make sure he isn't lying.

"It was an animal. _Was_. Then it just..then it wasn't." Harrison tells them.

"What was it?" Derek asks him.

"It was a.. It was a man." He says.

Scott hears his heartbeat stay steady.

"What did the animal look like? Was it a dog?" Derek asks.

Harrison nods.

"What colour? Breed? Where did you see it? What else did you see?"

"Derek, don't overwhelm him." Scott says.

Derek needs the truth, for revenge for Melissa and the innocents they've hurt, and also because they tried to kill him and take his family's territory, that's not okay with him. That's all he has left of them, this town, apart from his charred family home of couse. He has to up-hold their legacy, he _has_ too.

"Give us something, anything." Derek says to the injured man.

"I can give you something better than any of that." Harrison says.

His room door opens and they panic for a split second before Scott smells a familiar scent, and Derek smells that sweet smell he likes so much, Malboro and lavender. He can never get enough of that smell.

"What are you doing?" Scott asks his older sister as she walks over to them.

"I finished with the Doc, he had a meeting to go to. It's okay, noone saw me, I doubled back, made sure." Ash assures him. "I just wanna help, Scott." She says. She glances over at Derek, giving him a small smile.

Derek gives her a soft look before they both look down at Harrison.

"What can you tell us?" Derek asks him.

"My dog." The man says. "The thing that attacked me, he was..he was my dog." He tells them.

"Derek?" Scott says, looking to the alpha for guidance. "What now?"

"Now we can find one of them." Derek says.

"Which means we can find all of them." Ash says, looking at Derek too.

"Yeah, it does." Derek says.

..

Stiles and Jessie lay on the sofa together, arms wrapped around each other's bare bodies.

"I could stay here like this forever." Jessie says with a soft smile, looking at Stiles' whiskey eyes she loves so much.

As if on que, Jessie's phone starts to ring. She groans and Stiles sighs.

He reaches over to where her jeans landed in their rush to get naked. He digs into her pocket and hands Jessie her phone.

Jessie takes it, answering it and bringing it to her ear.

"Yeah?" Jessie says.

"Hey, it's me." Ash says. "Where are you and Jade? We're coming up to the loft complex in a second." She says.

"Jesus Christ." Jessie says with wide eyes, looking at Stiles.

Stiles frowns at her sudden alertness.

"What's wrong?" Ash asks the younger girl.

"Nothing, me and Stiles are at your place-" Jessie says.

"And Jade?" Ash asks.

"Napping in her crib." Jessie assures her. "Listen..Stiles and I are sort of..naked. So, stall them, please?" Jessie asks, getting up and seeking out her clothes.

"Jessie." Ash groans, "You better not be in my bed." Ash says in a quiet voice, not wanting Scott or Derek to hear.

"Gross, no, we didn't have sex where you and Derek probably do, that's _disgusting_." Jessie screws her face up, not even wanting to think about that.

Ash turns a little red, checking to make sure Derek and Scott aren't listening in again, but their having their own discussion in the car, Derek driving and Scott in the front seat.

"Just..stall them, please?"

"Yeah, of course." Ash nods, because girls have their own version of a 'Bro-Code' too.

..

"Absolutely not." Derek shakes his head, refusing to accept Ash's idea.

He paces the McCall loft, all of the pack now here, even Peter showed up, as they try to come up with a plan of attack now that they know where to find one of the Skinwalkers.

"It's not a bad idea, Derek." Jessie backs Ash up, because it's actually a good idea, it could just get dangerous is all. But that's their lives, they can't avoid danger, that's impossible.

"Jessie." Derek warns her.

"No, Jessie's right." Ash says. "It's a good idea. You know the second they smell canine on any of you, it'll either take off or attack-"

"Then I'll kill it." Derek says.

"Oh, like last time, right?" Ash says.

The pack's eyes just go between the unofficial couple, watching them go back and forth.

"That was different." Derek says.

"No, it's not. They're faster than you-"

"And I'm stronger." Derek says, needing to defend his wolf.

"I know that." Ash says. "But they'll know what you are the second you step onto the property, Derek. What if they're all there, not just one? They will _kill_ you."

"And if they realise who you are?" Derek asks her. "Just one of them would tear you apart."

"That's a chance we're just gonna have to take." Ash says.

"No, no way. You're not going out there." Derek shakes his head. "This is my pack, you follow _my_ lead." He enforces.

Scott and Stiles cringe, knowing that's exactly what you _don't_ want to say to Ash.

"Is that so?" Ash asks him.

"Yeah, that is so." Derek nods.

"Screw you." Ash says with a frown.

"Ash-"

"Let her do it." It's Peter that speaks up this time.

All eyes fall to him to surprise. Since he got here he hasn't spoken, and him and Derek have avoided each other too.

Peter pushes off the wall where he was lingering againist and walks over to stand where the two adults are.

"If our lovely lady wants to risk her life for the greater good, then let her." Peter says, looking from Ash to Derek.

Derek frowns, because Peter's never been too fond of Ash to begin with, now he's calling her a 'lovely lady'? Something's not right.

Peter just wants to get under Derek's skin, make him mad, like he always does. Since Peter said those horrible things to Derek, he hasn't been around, but he's back now, and he's even more hungry to piss the alpha off now, to get a reacton. But a part of Peter knows it's the smartest plan as well. They all do, there's just a few of them that don't like the plan, _at all_.

"See?" Ash says, siding with Peter for the first time in ever, and probably the last time too.

"Ash, no. Derek's right, it's too dangerous." Scott says, shaking his head as well.

"Firstly, I don't listen to you-" She says, pointing at Scott. "-or you." She says, her finger moving to point at Derek. She lets out a calming exhale, dropping the attitude from her voice. "Listen, I can help, just let me help." She says, looking at Derek.

"It's me, Ash or Stiles." Jessie says, backing her up. "And, no offense,-" She says, looking at her boyfriend. "-Ash is the most capable of doing this."

Ash gives Jessie a thankful nod for backing her up.

"Derek? Scott?" Ash says, looking between them because they're the only two that could actually stop her from going through with this.

The two men share a sour look.

"Fine." They both say sharply and reluctantly.

..

"Hi, can I help you?" Mrs Harrison answers her front door, finding a shorter, slimmer, young blue-eyed woman on the other side.

Yes. Hello, I'm from the Sheriff's Department. My name is Officer Parada." Ash lies easily, flashing a fake ID and badge both Stiles and John helped her with. "I'm here to follow up about your husband's attack."

"Oh, of course, come in." Mrs Harrison says, inviting her in.

Ash walks inside, her eyes travelling the house, seeking out anything dangerous, suspicious or out of sorts.

"I was told this was an animal attack." She says, gesturing for Ash to have a seat at the dining table.

"There seems to be alot of that going around, Mrs Harrison." Ash says as she sits down, crossing her legs and resting her crossed hands on the table, being a polite law enforcement like she practiced with John.

"Coffee?" The older woman offers.

"Please." Ash nods. "Black, no sugar."

Soon, Mrs Harrison puts a mug down in front of Ash and one down for herself, sitting down too.

"Do you think maybe it wasn't an animal attack? Is that why you're here?" She asks Ash.

Ash looks to her left when she hears the jingling on a collar. A _dog_ collar.

A large Rottweiler walks up to Ash, sniffing her.

"Rufus." Mrs Harrison scowls. "I'm sorry." She apologies to Ash.

"It's okay, really. I love dogs." Ash smiles at her, turning to face the dog. "Hi, Rufus. Aren't you cute?" She says, keeping that smile on her face even though she knows this was one of the _things_ that attacked and almost killed Derek, maybe even helped kill her mother. "Where'd you get this big guy?" Ash asks, looking up at Mrs Harrison again.

"We actually didn't." Mrs Harrison says. "A couple of months ago, he just appeared in the yard. He wouldn't leave, my husband is a big softie, he wanted to keep him. He named him 'Rufus' and he's lived with us ever since." She tells Ash.

"Really?" Ash asks, looking down at the dog. "I heard there's been a few strays in the neighbourhood lately." She says.

..

"Their dog is _definitely_ one of them." Ash tells the pack as she meets them at their meeting point, the dirt pit down Sands Road around the back of town, where they can hav absolute privacy.

"What kind?" Scott asks.

"Rottweiler, brown. _Big_." Ash says. She looks at Derek for confirmation.

"Yeah, that was one of them." Derek nods, remembering.

"Hey, are you okay?" Jessie asks her brother as his face screws up slightly and he flicks at his nose.

"She.." Derek can smell another canine on Ash, another shapeshifter, another _man_. He doesn't like it. Not one bit. "Yeah, I'm fine." He says, trying to ignore it.

"What do we do now?" Scott asks.

"We wait until the wife leaves the house tomorrow for work, then we go in." Derek says.

He glances at Ash again and away again quickly. This scent stuck to her is bothering him alot.

"Until then, get home, get some rest, we're gonna need it." Derek tells them.

There's murmers of agreement before they start heading to the cars that were brought.

Stiles lets Ash know that he's gotten her Aunt to pick Jade up to go back to Nevada, Jade's staying with her for a couple days while they figure all of this out. It's too dangerous for Jade right now.

Scott goes for Ash's car so Ash starts to follow him.

But Derek catches her hand, making her stop.

Ash turns back and faces him.

"Something wrong?" Ash asks him.

"No, not really, just..just shower when you get home, wash those clothes." He says.

"Are you saying I smell?" Ash asks him with an offended frown, pulling her arm away from him.

"No, you just smell like that _dog_ , that shifter." He says bitterly.

Ash relaxes a little now, looking at him for more of an explaination.

"You smell like another man." Derek clarifies.

A soft smile comes to Ash's lips.

"That was _nothing_. But I'll shower when I get home." She assures him, making the alpha relax a little.

She brings her hand to the nape of his neck and draws him forward.

Stiles and Jessie look at Scott, both him and Peter, for different reasons, scowl as the two adults kiss.

"Will I see you later?" Ash asks him quietly.

Derek can feel Scott looking at him.

"I don't know." He answers. "We'll see." He says.

"Okay." Ash nods, able to feel Scott looking at them as well.

They step back and Ash gets into the driver's seat of her car and Derek gets into his.

It's quiet as Stiles, Scott and Ash drive. There's a lack of sound, but not a lack of tension.

"What are you doing with Derek?" Scott asks his sister, keeping his eyes straight ahead on the road.

"What exactly are you asking me?" Ash asks him, keeping her eyes on the road too.

Stiles' eyes dart between the two McCalls sitting in the front seats.

"I don't think hooking up with him right now is safe for you. If his life is in danger and you're involved with him, your life's in danger too." Scott tells her.

Ash nods because that does make sense, Derek even said it himself. That doesn't mean that Ash just throws the towel in though. She cares too much to just walk away and not fight for it.

"I _advised_ Derek to back off of you." Scott tells her, peeking at her for her reaction.

"Hmm." Ash says, not sure what to say back to that that doesn't involve a curse word.

"You're supposed to be off-limits to him." Scott says. He knows what he saw this morning, he saw Ash coming out of his room because she stayed over at his place. Scott knew Derek wasn't just going to listen to him, but he hoped he would.

Ash doesn't say anything back to that, because she knows Derek's not listening to that _at all_ , and Scott lets the subject be dropped.

They continue to drive in an uncomfortable silence, one Stiles is itching to get away from.

Ash slips into her thoughts as she drives, her brow furrowing slightly.

And Scott looks out his window, thinking about some of his own things too.

Ash drops Stiles off at his place and even then, the car's quiet even though it's only her and Scott and they could talk about anything or even argue, without someone else hearing.

They get back to the loft and part ways, Scott going to bed, and Ash getting in the shower.

She scrubs herself with a lavender bodywash, not wanting to smell like goddamn 'Rufus' anymore. She gets out, dries off and dresses into a singlet and underwear, not bothering with pants considering she's just getting into bed. She dumps her outfit in the hamper and shuts the top before going back into her room and getting into bed.

She's almost asleep when something touches her. She jumps awake but Derek just guides her to lay back down again, wrapping his arms around her from behind.

He's getting better and better at sneaking through her window.

They don't say anything to each other, Derek just kisses her shoulder and Ash leans back further into him.

Derek rests his head in the crook of her neck, getting that sweet smell from her again instead of the shifter's scent. That lavender, and this time it's mint because she's brushed her teeth and washed away the smell of tobacco.

"G'night, Derek." She whispers softly, closing her eyes.

"Night, Ash." He says, letting the day roll away from him, letting himself relax with her, letting himself give in to his own exhaustion.

..

..

 **Cute! But yes, Scott wants her to be safe and blah, blah, so he's going to be a little anal about it for a little while. But Jessie and Stiles, they're getting serious :3 Favourite, follow and review!**

 **P.S. I'm also thinking of going back through every single chapter and fixing all my typos and mistakes etc.**


	40. Manada De Lobos

**Shout out to:**

 ***Tvmogul145: Thank you, that's really kind :)**

 ***Serena Sterling: Bro code :P Yes, getting ready to go for it and take the Skinwalkers out!**

 ***Maxine Hale: Hehe, he does :P**

..

Everywhere, the pack are in bed peacefully, some asleep, some awake.

Derek lays in bed with Ash, but she's still asleep, curled up under his arm.

He turns his head and looks down at her. Like before, he can't help but reach out and gently touch her eyebrow, where she now has a reddened scar from her wound and the stitches that used to be there.

She's better now, Derek and the others, see it more and more every day since the end of her father's court trial. To have him gone and for her to have Scott and Jade under her care, it's helped her alot, it's helped Scott alot too.

But, there's still these Skinwalkers hanging over their heads. But they'll deal with that, today, hopefully. They'll squeeze that one Skinwalker for information, hopefully.

Ash stirs a little, tucking her head further into his shoulder, but she doesn't wake up.

She looks peaceful, _content_ , with his company.

Scott's still KO'ed, fast asleep in a deep, restful slumber.

Stiles brushes his hand down Jessie's hair. She's curled up againist his side with her head on his chest.

"Everything's going to go alright today, right?" Jessie asks, looking up at Stiles.

"What do you mean?" He asks, looking down at her.

"Just..just tell me everything's gonna be okay." She says.

Stiles locks eyes with her, honey-like amber clashing with a whitened oceanic blue.

"Everything's gonna be okay." He tells her, caressing her cheek with his thumb. "I promise, Jess." He says.

Jessie nods, leaning forward to softly press her lips to his.

"Derek?" Ash wakes, feeling the bed move. Her eyes open and he's just gotten out of bed. "Where are you going?" She asks him. She was enjoying herself during her sleep, she was comfortable with him.

"Harrison's wife will be leaving soon." Derek tells her.

Then the supernatural comes along and ruins their time together.

"We should all get up." He says.

Ash nods, pulling herself to sit up with a soft yawn.

"I'll see you soon." He says, leaning forward to kiss her. Ash kisses him back and he heads for the window.

"Hey..thanks for last night." Ash says to him.

Derek stops, turning back around to face her, looking a little confused.

"What did I do?" Derek asks.

Ash just shakes her head with a soft smile, he doesn't realise what coming over and just staying over means to her. It means she's more than just a good lay to him.

"Just..thanks." Ash says.

Derek nods, still confused but he doesn't question her.

"Oh..hold on." Ash says.

"Yeah?" Derek says.

Ash gets out from under the covers, sitting down on the edge of her bed. She pats the spot beside her and Derek moves back over to her, sitting down.

"I just..whatever happens today, just know that you mean alot to me, Derek." Ash says to him, looking down at her hands as she picks at her nails nervously.

"Where's this coming from, Ash?" He asks her. "You sound like you know something bad's going to happen." He says, looking at her.

"I don't know." Ash shrugs, still only looking down. "I just wanted you to know that in case something did happen. Or..or you and Scott.." She doesn't finish that sentence and she doesn't need too.

"Hey." Derek says.

Ash looks up at him now.

"Scott just wants you safe, that's all that was. I can keep you safe though, I will." He says. "It's okay, nothing's going to happen, we'll all be fine. Scott..that'll all work itself out, because you mean alot to me as well." He says.

Ash's eyes widen a little because she knows the alpha hardly ever opens up like this. It was crazy for him to spill everything he did about his family, but this is different from that too, this is how he _feels_.

"But what about you and Scott? I'm off-limits, remember?" She asks him with a small smile because she knows Derek _purposely_ 'forgot' that.

"I'm a little too old for dating rules." Derek shrugs. "I see who I wanna see." He says.

"Is that what this is?" Ash asks him. "Are we seeing each other?" She asks, her eyes darting between both of his.

"Yeah." He nods, locking eyes with her and holding eye contact because he's not playing around.

Ash's eyes soften after hearing him say that.

"I like you, Ash." He says. That's a very bold thing for him to say, for him to put himself on the line like this, and deep down, not that he lets it show, he does feel nervous for her reply.

"I like you as well." Ash says. "I mean, like..I have feelings for you." She admits, looking away again because she's afraid to be rejected.

Derek's fingers slip under her chin, lifting her head back up so she'll look at him.

"That's what I meant, Ash." Derek says. "This thing with Scott, it's going to work itself out, you'll see." He tells her. He leans forward and kisses her again, much softer, with a heavier meaning to it than just a simple smooch. He lets her go, standing up. "I'll be back over in 10 minutes to get Scott." He tells her.

"Okay." Ash nods. She watches him go to window, climbing out of it. When she's alone, she exhales gently. A smile comes to her lips and she chuckles to herself, happy with what just happened.

"Wait." Jessie says to Stiles, hearing someone walking the staircase. "Shhh." She warns him quietly, putting her hand over his mouth because she knows those Timberland-covered footsteps.

 _Knock, knock_.

"Jess, it's time to get up." Derek tells her from outside her door.

"Okay." Jessie calls back to him.

Derek's about to walk away to get Isaac up but then pauses, frowning, because why would Jessie already be awake and why can Derek hear two heartbeats from her room? Then it clicks.

"That means you as well, Stiles." Derek says.

Stiles tenses up in fear.

Derek smirks, hearing the boy's heart racing, before he walks away, happy enough with that reaction. That, and he doesn't want to walk in there when he doesn't know what he's going to find on the other side of the door.

..

Once everyone's awake, they all meet at the McCall loft.

Derek throws Stiles a half-hearted growl as he passes the boy. Yes, he's sour that Stiles would have been in Jessie's bed but Derek can't deny how much happier Jessie is now that she has Stiles either. So it's a constantly tipping love-hate kind of thing.

"What's the plan here, Derek?" Peter asks, drawing the alpha's attention away from Stiles.

"That's why I called everyone here." Derek says, everyone looking at him now. "I'm not deciding anything until we've discussed it-"

"What are you doing?" Peter cuts him off. "Just take lead-"

"This is how _I_ am doing this. This is _my_ pack." Derek cuts him off this time.

Jessie smirks proudly, seeing Derek fight back at Peter without getting physical, no longer letting the former-alpha step all over him.

"If you can't get behind that then find another pack." Derek says.

It falls quiet, as pairs of eyes look between the alpha and his Uncle.

"I wanna hear what you have to say." Derek says to everyone else when Peter doesn't move or say anything.

"I bet Ash could get the house's alarm code through a hack." Stiles is the first to speak up, getting everyone's attention. "I mean, you can't just walk in there, fingerprints and everything. We have to be smart about this."

"He's right." Ash backs him up. "And I think I could, I can try at least." She says.

"Okay, do that." Derek nods, giving the girl a small smile.

Ash smiles back at him softly, still feeling light from their conversation earlier on.

"I don't want you around when we go after him." Scott says, looking at Ash.

"Or you." Derek says, looking at Jessie. "Stiles, you should hang back as well." He says, so all the humans are covered.

"What? Derek-" Stiles starts to object.

"We don't know what we're dealing with here, there could be more than one by the time we get there. They'll rip you to shreds in seconds." Derek says to him. "All three of you are staying back." He decides.

"But not at the lofts, it's too obvious." Scott says. "If they know who you are-" He says, looking at Derek. "-then he knows us, they could know where we live. I'm not leaving my family here, vulnerable."

"I'll take my car, we'll go to my Aunt's, far away from it all." Ash suggests.

"That's a good idea." Derek nods. "Okay. Well, we know what to do once we're inside." He says, now addressing the rest of the pack. He doesn't have to paint a picture, it's going to involve blood, _alot_ of blood. "Get ready to go, we'll leave as soon as we can." Derek says, finalising their group plan.

The pack stand, talking errupting between them.

Ash gets up, knowing she needs to get home quickly and find that alarm code, check out what other security they have, disable security cameras if she has too.

As Ash slips out the door to go home, Derek slips out after her.

Ash hears footsteps behind her and turns back around.

"Hey." She says as he stops in front of her. "What's up?"

"Nothing." He shakes his head. "I just wanted to make sure you're okay with this plan."

"Yeah, of course. You're the alpha, remember?" She smirks, referring to when he shut down Peter back there.

"He deserved that." Derek says.

"He did." She nods. "But still, I think this is a good idea."

"Yeah, but.." Derek frowns.

"But?" Ash asks.

Derek's trying to say something but he's having one of his, what Jessie likes to call, 'half-constipated-look-on-his-face-when-he's-trying-to-be-sentimental-but-as-usual-he's-struggling' moments.

"Just be careful, okay?" He says.

A smile comes to Ash's face.

"You're worried about me." She says, knowing she's right.

Derek doesn't look at her, he kind of averts his eyes around her.

"You don't want me to get hurt?" She asks.

"Something like that." He says but nods in agreement to what she just asked, locking eyes with her now.

"Well, I'll be fine, and I'll look after Jessie, Stiles and I both will." Ash assures him.

Derek nods.

"I should go get the code." She says.

"Yeah, just one more thing." He says. Ash looks at him to go on.

He leans in and kisses her. Ash lets her eyes shut, kissing him back. His hands come to her back, pulling her close and Ash grabs his belt, dragging him closer too.

"Okay, okay." Derek says, reluctantly pulling back. "You should go do what you gotta." He says.

"Okay, I'll be back soon with the code." She says. Derek nods. She touches his arm before walking away.

Derek watches her for a moment, watching _his_ girl walk away, before he goes back into his own loft again.

"You, here, now." Derek says, pointing to Stiles.

The younger man swallows, glancing at Jessie.

She looks at Derek with pleading eyes.

"Come here, we gotta talk." Derek says.

Stiles nods, walking over to the alpha.

"We were just sleeping last night, I swear." Stiles blurts out.

"Just stop." Derek says, holding his hand up. "Firstly, I can hear when you lie." Derek reminds him with a grimace on his face. "But I don't want to know so..don't say anymore." He says.

"Okay.." Stiles nods, feeling awkward now. They didn't have sex but they didn't just sleep either. "What's this about then?" He asks the alpha.

"It's about today." Derek says. "I'm trusting you to look after Ash and Jessie today." He says.

"Yeah, I will." Stiles nods.

"Stiles." Derek says, stepping closer to him. " _Nothing_ touches them, alright? Nothing touches my girl, nothing touches your girl." He says.

"Yeah, I get it. I'll protect them.." Stiles trails off, realising what Derek just said. "Wait, hold on. _Your_ girl?" He questions. "Your girl like Jessie, or _your girl_ like Ash? Because Jessie is _my_ girl." He says possessively even though there's obviously no reason for him to be because Derek's her brother. But, he can get that way sometimes.

Derek just raises his eyebrows, listening to Stiles speak, listening to him _hold his own_.

"My girl, as in Ash, because _she_ is _my_ girl." Derek says, just as possessively, because he an get that way too. Point A, yesturday, with the shifter's scent.

"Hold on, because I thought Scott told you too-"

"Do you understand?" Derek asks, not letting Stiles finish because he doesn't need this lecture again. He and Ash are both consenting adults, they don't need permission from anyone.

"Yeah." Stiles nods slowly, deciding to drop the subject for now. "Yeah, I understand."

"Good. Thank you." He says, clapping Stiles' shoulder. He walks away and Stiles looks at the alpha's back in surprise.

Not only did he just thank Stiles, but he clapped him over the shoulder like they're old friends, which I guess they sort of are.

But then the older wolf stops, turning back around.

And Stiles is _sure_ Derek is going to kill him this time. He just watches as Derek walks back up to him, getting _very_ close to him. Stiles damn near jumps out of his skin when he hears Derek growl quietly in his face, just for his ears to hear.

"If you get her pregnant, you're dead." Derek warns the younger male.

"Understood." Stiles nods.

Derek nods back and continues what he was doing, walking away.

Stiles chuckles stressfully, because that could have gone _so_ much worse, before walking back over to Jessie and putting his arm around her shoulders.

"I see you're still in one piece, everything go okay?" Jessie asks, looking at him.

"Yeah." Stiles nods, looking at her. "Yeah, everything's fine." He smiles, pecking her lips lightly.

..

With Ash driving Jessie and Stiles towards Nevada in her Camaro, and the paper with the alarm code on it and Ash's promise that she got the security cameras shut off, the pack approach the Harrison house.

There's no cars outside, no human heartbeats inside, aside the shifter's.

"Code?" Scott asks.

"4572." Derek tells him, checking the paper again with Ash's messily linked handwriting on it.

Scott types it in with a gloved hand, as not to leave fingerprints, watching as the red light turns green.

"Back me up but stay behind me." Derek tells the other three wolves.

Scott and Isaac nod and Derek goes through the gate first, the alarm disabled, thanks to Ash.

They sneak through the hall down to the actual house, closing in on the heartbeat.

Derek gestures for all of them to split up and corner him, they can smell and hear he's alone so they can definitely pin him down. And the plan goes well, they find the Skinwalker, in his human form, and they corner him, blocking him from escaping from all sides.

"Where's the rest of your pack?" Derek asks him.

The Skinwalker glances at Derek but doesn't say anything. The Skinwalker looks away from him and out the window like nothing's even happening.

Derek lunges forward, grabbing him by the throat and pinning him againist the wall.

"Answer me." Derek growls, his eyes turning red.

The strangest thing happens, the Skinwalker smiles, a full-blown smile.

"It's nice to see you again, Alpha Hale." The man greets him formally with a thick Spanish accent.

Scott growls from behind Derek, all of their eyes shining as well.

"This must be your _manada de lobos_ , your wolf pack, _cabron_." The man says, his eyes grazing over Scott, Isaac and Peter. "Let's see if they live up to their name." He says, shoving Derek off him and shooting past them.

The wolves growl, Derek roars, leading them to attack.

Peter, being too cocky, goes in guns blazing, only to be thrown to the side, falling into a bookcase.

"Watch their things." Scott tells them, because these people, the Harrisons, haven't done anything wrong, it's not their fault their dog turned out to be a Skinwalker that's murdering innocent people.

The Skinwalker dodges Isaac easily, sweeping out his legs. But Scott and Derek aren't as easily taken down.

Scott slams into him, sending him the ground.

" _Puto_!" It yells, spitting out blood. He drops down, shifting into his dog shape, a Rottweiler.

"Scott, get back." Derek tells the younger man, knowing this form may seem better for them to fight but it's _far more_ dangerous.

Scott obeys his alpha, backing up a little but staying ready to dive in.

Derek goes in, going for the Skinwalker's legs, to get him down so he has the upper hand.

But the dog is smart, and he's _very_ fast. With heavy impact, the top of the dog's skull meets Derek's ribs in a headbutt, breaking at least 3 of his ribs with a sharp crack.

The alpha stumbles a little but when the man tries to attack him, Scott jumps at him. Isaac runs at him as well, helping Scott.

But it doesn't take long for the Skinwalker to rid himself of them two.

But by then, Derek's recovered from the attak, he's still in pain but he can fight again. He uses the distraction to throw dog to the ground with a loud thud, smashing it's head againist the tiles.

With the intense pain, the dog soon becomes a man again, much like when Derek used pain to force Scott to shift back.

Peter grabs the man's arms, holding him down as Derek balances all of his weight on him so he can't get up.

"Where is the rest of your pack?" Derek asks him again, blazing angry red eyes glaring down at him angerily.

"It doesn't matter." The man says. "You _estupido lobos_ are already too late." He says, blood coating his lips.

"What is he talking about?" Scott asks Derek.

"They're gone, the _hermana_ and _lobo senora_." He says, looking at Derek, before he starts to laugh hoarsely despites Derek pressing down on his throat.

Derek clenches his teeth, knowing he means his own sister and by 'Mrs Wolf', Derek guesses the man means Ash.

"It won't be long before they're just another _dos muerto putas_ -"

Scott doesn't understand Spanish but he doesn't need too, because Derek does.

The alpha's claws stab into the man's throat, tearing it put and allowing him to bleed out and drown in his own blood. Derek gets up, glaring down at the dead man. He spits down at the body.

"Derek?" Scott asks him, knowing it was bad if the alpha reacted that way.

"Get rid of his body, clean this place up. Scott, you're with me, let's go." Derek says, heading out the door, a boiling rage seeping through his entire body as those words echo in his head.

 _Dos muerto putas_

Two dead whores.

..

Ash bites at her thumbnail as she drives, a bad feeling settling in her stomach.

"You feel it too?" Jessie asks, glancing at the older girl.

"Yeah." Ash sighs.

"Maybe we should go back-shit!" Stiles yelps, seeing a figure on the road.

Ash slams on the brakes, almost smashing into a Great Dane in the middle of the road.

"Jesus Christ!" Ash exclaims once they've completely stopped. She pushes down on her horn, waiting for the thing to move.

"It's the size of a goddamn wolf." Jessie says.

Ash frowns, taking her hand off the horn when it doesn't move.

"Wait here." She says, getting out. "Hey, damn dog, move.." Ash's eyes widen when that ' _damn dog_ 's bones crack until a man stands before her.

"Ash?!" Ash hears Jessie scream as they're jumped, the doors being ripped open by other human-form Skinwalkers. "Help?!"

Ash tries to run but she's grabbed from behind and held in a crushing chokehold.

"Which ones?" There's 3 of them, the one holding Stiles speaks.

"Let me go!" Jessie yells, struggling.

Ash kicks and tries to claw, scratch, bite, _anything_ , to get away.

" _Hermana_." The one holding Jessie says, starting to drag her away.

"Jessie?!" Stiles yells, practically strangling himself as he tries to get away from the Skinwalker keeping him still while his girlfriend's dragged away from him. "JESS?!"

"Him or her?" The one holding Stiles asks the one holding Ash.

" _Lobo senora_." The one holding Ash says.

Ash thrashes around and he just laughs.

"Leave him as a message, we take the other two." He says, now speaking in English.

Ash watches helplessly as Stiles is attacked, clawed at, and her and Jessie are dragged away, bags put over their heads until all they see is a blank darkness.

And by the time Derek and Scott found Ash's car, it was empty of the two females, all they found was Stiles' body, scratched up with no signs of conciousness.

..

..

 **That plan fell through completely :( And Stiles, no! So many of them promised it'd be fine and it wasn't :( Favourite, follow and review!**


	41. Midnight

**Shout out to:**

 ***Serena Sterling: Hehe, you'll see! You're welcome and thanks!**

 ***Amelia Mikaelhey: Hehe..**

 ***Maxine Hale: Jade's with her Aunt and Uncle :)**

 ***TheHungryRainbow: Of course I do, from Skyrim/Elder Scrolls! :) And I'm guessing the Skinwalkers are the Stormcloaks, yes?**

 ***momentum123: :)**

 **Remind me never to give my readers cliffhangers like that again :P**

..

"Very, very _bonita_." One says, touching Ash's cheek. "You too, sweetie." He says walking over to Jessie.

"Don't touch her!" Ash snaps, yanking at her restraints violently. "Let us go!" She yells, hating being tied up like this. Their arms are strung up with thick ropes, but they can still move, just a little.

"Ash, it's okay-" Jessie to soothe her but she's just as scared.

"Ah!" Ash yells, angerily and frightfully ripping at the ropes because she _has_ to get out of here. She has to make sure Stiles is okay, she has to find her brother, she has to find the rest of the pack. She has to get Jessie to safety, because she promised Derek she'd look after Jessie, not do this.

Her wrists ache awfully, the rope digging into and burning her left wrist, and her broken but healing right wrist hurts alot too, but she has to get out.

Jessie can see the girl is starting to panic, to lose her cool completely, well, what she hasn't lost already.

"Ash, c'mon. It's okay, just breathe." Jessie says when the girl's face starts to turn a dangerous red colour.

"I-I can't." Ash says, feeling her chest constrict and her lungs burn. "I can't b-breath." She says.

"Ash? Ash!" Jessie says, now she's yanking at her ropes to get to the other girl.

"I need m-my in..inhaler." Ash says, squeezing her eyes shut and gritting her teeth together.

Jessie just looks at her in confusion, she didn't know Ash carried an inhaler.

"Hey!" Jessie yells, trying to get the Skinwalkers' attention as they talk and plot from across the way.

They look in her direction but they don't do anything.

"Assholes! Help her!" Jessie yells, getting mad now because Ash is completely red and she looks so dizzy.

Until she just falls limp, hanging from her hands.

"Ash? Ash, c'mon!" Jessie pleads.

But the girl still doesn't move.

"ASH?!" Jessie yells.

..

 _Hours later_

Ash clenches her teeth, trying not to give them the awful screaming reaction they want, as the alpha drags his claw across her stomach, cutting a long line that begins to softly bleed.

"Don't hurt her!" Jessie yells, hating having to watch this, having to know Ash is being hurt _again_.

A pained sound leaves the younger girl's mouth as one of the other Skinwalkers swipe across her cheek with one of it's claws.

Jessie bites her tongue, feeling the blood dribble down her face.

"Get away from her!" Ash snaps angerily, forgetting her own pain for a heated moment.

Until, of course, the Skinwalker's alpha slowly drags his claw across her skin again. This time, cutting the thin skin over her right collarbone.

"Stop! Stop it!" Jessie yells, yanking at her ropes, desperately trying to get out, to get loose at _least_.

"Shut them up and get them ready, we have to go." The alpha instructs.

Before either girl can question what the hell any of that means, there's sharp pains in the back of their heads and everything becomes black.

..

"What happened?" John asks, breaking the long silence as he sits beside his son's hospital bed, the roles reversed.

Stiles is only sleeping though, he's not too banged up, they just had to stitch the deep cuts to his forearm and they want to moniter him.

"We don't really know. But we took one down, from what he said..it sounded like it was all a trap so the rest of their pack could get to Stiles and the girls while they were unprotected." Derek tells the Sheriff.

"And Ash? Jessie? What about them?" John asks, looking at Derek now.

Derek doesn't know what to say about that because they have no leads.

"You don't even know, you're a _child_ , leading other children. This falls on _your_ back, I hope you know that. Now, get out." He says before turning to face Stiles again.

Derek won't admit out-loud how much that stung him.

"John-" Scott tries, because that was unnecessarily harsh, Derek never meant for this to happen, of course he didn't.

"You, get out as well." The Sheriff says firmly.

And that was like a slap in the face to Scott.

Right now, all John Stilinski sees is pain and hurt, he doesn't know how his words are coming out. He's just terrified he's going to lose his boy, that's all.

Scott looks down at Stiles, at the stitched up vendetta spiral cut into his forearm, before turning around and walking out.

Derek nods for Peter and Isaac to follow him, he wants to speak to John, alone. Derek waits until the door shuts behind the three wolves before he walks up to the Sheriff.

"Are you stupid or deaf?" John asks, hearing the alpha's footsteps.

"I know this was my fault, all of it's my fault." Derek says. "I'm the alpha and I'm supposed to protect my pack and Beacon Hills. I know. But, John, I swear, these things will _die_ for this and for everything they've done." Derek speaks with real conviction.

John turns around to face the alpha.

"What about Jessie and Ash?" John asks him again.

"I will find our girls." Derek says. "They didn't trick us and put all of this in motion just to kill them, it doesn't make sense. As for that-" Derek says, looking down at the spiral on Stiles' arm. "-that's meant for me, not Stiles, it's a message. Don't worry, your son is strong and he's gonna be fine. I'm going to get Ash and Jessie back, safe." He says.

"You really believe that, don't you?" John asks the younger man.

"I have too." Derek says. With the conversation finished, he turns around, walking over to the door.

"Hold it, Hale." John says, in his 'cop' voice.

Derek stops, his hand on the door handle pausing as he looks over at the Sheriff.

"Stiles told me about you and Ash."

"Did he tell you about him and Jessie as well?" Derek asks, not really wanting to discuss his very _physical_ relationship with the oldest McCall.

"He didn't have too, I guessed." John says. "But you know Scott's never gonna just lay down and let you be with Ash, right? Not after all the history, it's going to take awhile for him to be okay with it."

"It's not his choice." Derek says. "And he'll warm up to it eventually. It's Ash, he will." Derek says.

John nods and Derek turns back to the door, pushing it open, when he hears..

"If you hurt her, I will throw your ass in jail until you're too old to pop your goddamn claws out." John threatens.

Derek glances at him for a moment, nodding, before walking out of the room, letting the door shut behind him.

"Derek, you should see this." Scott says, looking at Derek and then down to his phone again.

Derek walks over to the beta, looking down at his phone. A vicious scowl, one to match Scott's, comes to the alpha's face.

It's a picture, of both girls, bags over their heads and hands tied up. They can tell it's them because one of them wears a red cast and the other has claw marks across her forearm.

Ash and Jessie.

 _The look-out. Midnight. If you want them to walk out alive, be ready to hand over Beacon Hills, Hale_.

It reads at the bottom.

"You can't give them Beacon Hills, Derek." Isaac says. "They'll just keep picking people off."

"If we don't show, they're dead." Derek says. "That's not an option." He says because he's not losing Ash and there's no way in hell he's losing Jessie.

"Then we fight." Scott says.

Derek looks up at him.

"They're not taking our home, and they're not taking our sisters." He says. He steps closer to Derek. "If you really care about Ash, then show me. Fight with me, for Jessie, for Ash, for Stiles, for everyone they've hurt." Scott says. "For..for my Mom." He adds, his eyes becoming glassier than usual.

"Yeah." Derek nods. "Okay, I'm in." He says.

"So am I." Isaac says.

"Me too." Peter says, knowing the pack will need the extra pair of hands, and Peter doesn't _really_ want Jessie and Ash to be slaughtered either. "Have we at least got a plan?" He asks.

"Yeah." Derek nods.

All pairs of eyes fall to him.

"We kill them." Derek says simply. "We kill _all_ of them." He says with determination.

..

 _Midnight_

Ash is still dizzy from passing out and then being knocked unconcious earlier.

And it's worse because the bags are over their heads again and they've been driving in a car to God knows where.

They're hands are bound tightly with ropes in front of them as they're taken out of the car and dragged somewhere else.

Jessie grew up in the woods, she knows it when she smells it.

"We're almost home, Ash. We'll be okay." Jessie tells her.

"Yeah." Ash nods, her breath quick and shallow in her bag.

Neither girl can see what's happening, they can only hear the approaching footsteps. That puts them both on edge, _alot_.

Then there's voices. They're faint at first, then they get closer, louder.

This unsettles them both even more.

It's Jessie that realises first, when she hears the unmistakable protective growl of her older brother. She sighs in relief, feeling alot better just by knowing Derek's here.

" _Bolsas fuera_." The Skinwalker alpha tells his 2 pack mates.

It would have been 5 in total have Derek not killed two, one falling from the look-out with him and one having been a sacrifice to distract them.

The 2 Skinwalkers, all of them in their human forms, listen to their alpha and take the bags from Jessie's and Ash's heads.

Ash feels some relief push out her fears and worries when she sees the rest of the pack, aside Stiles, standing only meters away.

Derek's stomach drops when he sees his sister's face. She has a long claw mark straight across the top of her cheek. The blood's long dried, dripped down her face and neck in 3 long stripes. Then he sees the scratch over Ash's chest and the blood that's seeped through and stained her shirt along her stomach. He growls at the Skinwalkers viciously but doesn't attack them knowing they have the upper hand, right now that is.

"You know why you're here, and you know the stakes. You give up Beacon Hills, or you give up your girls." The Skinwalker's alpha says, looking at and speaking to Derek specifically.

Peter looks at his nephew, wondering how he's going to deal with this one.

"Which will it be?"

"Let them go and then we'll talk." Derek tries a calm option first.

The other alpha just laughs though.

"I said, which will it be?" He asks again. "Don't make me repeat myself a second time either." He warns Derek. "Or one of them will pay for it-"

"Touch either one of them and I'll _cut_ your heart _out_." Scott says from beside Derek.

"I'm going to _cut_ a gaping hole right through your _familia_ , boy." He says, looking at Scott with an angered scowl. "Unless your alpha agrees to give us this land-"

"Don't do it, Derek." Jessie shakes her head.

The Skinwalker alpha nods to the Skinwalker holding Jessie and their hand clamps over her mouth.

Derek steps forward but the hand crushes her even more so he stays put, every fibre of him screaming to murder that _thing_ even touching his baby sister. But not when Jessie's in trouble like this too.

"You know, I did think of tearing the flesh from their pretty little _tight_ bodies." The Skinwalker's alpha says, looking at the two girls being held.

Derek growls again, Scott glaring angerily from Derek's side.

"This one-" He says, looking at Ash. "-trying to play us for fools. You made a mistake sending her." He says, looking over at the pack. "Mmm, we could have alot of fun with her." He says, touching Ash's chin.

Ash snaps away from his touch immediantly, feeling sick to her stomach.

Scott snaps his fangs, as a warning, making sure the Skinwalkers know his patiences are wearing _very_ thin, especially with how their alpha's treating Ash, _looking_ at her.

"Let them go." Derek says. "They have nothing to do with this-"

"Not true." The Skinwalker's alpha shakes his head. "Now, if you won't listen, I have other plans." The Skinwalker says.

Derek frowns a little, confused by what he means.

"I thought to myself, I want to do more than just take this alpha's town. I want to kill him for killing one of my pack." He says, looking over at Derek.

"Then let them go and you can have me." Derek compromises, just wanting to get the two human girls out of harm's way, out of the way of the _dirty_ eyes that seem to rake all over them like their pieces of meat.

Derek's finding it very hard not to completely lose it, but he knows they'd kill the girls before he even got over to them. So, that's not an option, he needs to be smarter than blind rage.

"No, I have a better idea." The Skinwalker says.

Derek's eyes widen when their alpha brings a small bottle of lighter fluid from his jacket. The alpha walks over to Ash, putting his hand in her pocket.

Scott snaps his fangs again, growling the second the alpha touches her.

The alpha brings his claws up to Ash's throat, making the girl inhale sharply, trying to keep her throat away from the razor-like nails.

"Scott." Derek says, seeing this is going to go bad for Ash if Scott keeps going on this way.

Scott backs down a little, but keeps his fangs out.

Derek understands though, he feels like that right now as well.

The Skinwalker's alpha smiles a little and brings Ash's zippo out from her pocket. He pauses, inhaling the girl's scent. He smells Derek on her. He chuckles and glances at Derek with a smirk. He looks back at Ash and she can only describe his smile as predatory. He leans close to her lips, trying to provoke Derek, and Ash doesn't even have a second to think before she spits in his face, wanting to get him away from her.

"Jesus." The Skinwalker says, wiping his hand down his face in surprise.

Derek watches him closely, unsure how the Skinwalker will react to that.

"Stupid _muerto puta_." He says, his hands snaking up and wrapping around her neck.

"Get your goddamn hands off her!" Scott snaps, lunging forward.

The Skinwalker that was holding Ash's arms lets her go, smashing into Scott and putting distance between them.

Scott goes to come forward again but he skids to a stop when he sees the alpha squeeze Ash's neck tighter.

"Stop it!" Scott yells.

"I could snap her neck in the blink of an eye." The alpha says, squeezing tighter just to show them.

Ash gasps for air, her face turning a deep red.

"But I won't." He says, letting her go.

Ash falls to her hands and knees, sucking down oxygen and coughing, rubbing at her neck.

Derek steps forward, because Ash is with him, he's supposed to protect her, but the alpha holds up a finger.

"Just _stop_." He warns Derek.

Derek stops, Scott stays in his place as well. Isaac and Peter stay behind them. Noone wants to do anything stupid but heroic in fear it'll end up hurting Ash or Jessie.

"Get up." The Skinwalker that just slammed into Scott says, going over to Ash again.

She doesn't though, still trying to catch her breath and get rid of the black spots dancing in her vision.

So, he grabs her arm, pulling her to her feet roughly.

That pisses off Scott especially, after what happened to Ash with their father, he never wants to see men grabbing her like that.

Jessie looks at Ash with a worried frown. She wants to help Ash but she can't do much when there's a Skinwalker holding her back.

"You see.." The Skinwalker's alpha says, flicking the top on and off the zippo.

Ash scowls, because that's her's, it's like an old relic to her, she's had that zippo for a long time. It was a gift, passed down to her from her Grandfather, who she lost.

"The big bad alpha of Beacon Hills has more than one weakness." He says, looking up at Derek. "His family and pack-" He says, nodding over to Jessie and Ash. "-and fire." He says, flicking the zippo on so the flame ignites.

Derek stomach twists so much he feels like he might be sick when he realises what the other alpha is implying he may do.

Jessie panics, tearing up, because she _saw_ the Hale fire. She felt the heat that filled the night air, and she has the scar on her arm to show her failed attempt to save her mother from that same fire too.

"Jessie, you're gonna be fine. I promise you." Derek tells her, seeing the girl is starting to freak out.

"I wouldn't be so sure, Hale." The Skinwalker's alpha says.

"Let them go, _now_." Derek grounds out, he doens't know how much longer he can stay calm for.

But the alpha doesn't. He takes the top off the lighter fluid. He watches Derek as he drips it over Jessie's head with a large grin.

"Stop!" Derek barks.

"Then give me what I-" He says, lighting the lighter again.

"You can have it." Derek says quickly. "Beacon Hills, it's your's." He says. "Just don't hurt her, please." Derek all but begs.

Jessie shakes her head at him, tears filling her eyes because this is their family's town, it has been for years, decades.

But Derek can't, he can _not_ , watch his sister burn, there's no way.

"Derek?" Peter says, truely hoping the younger man has another plan, that he's not _actually_ going to give up Beacon Hills.

But right now, Derek doesn't see another option. Jessie's not dying, Ash's not dying. There's no third option, no plan B-

They're all distracted when loud revving fills the air.

Scott clicks first, knowing the sound of that old rusty blue Jeep anywhere.

The wolves and Skinwalkers barely have time to react before the Jeep comes flying into the clearing up at the look-out.

Just like with the Kanima, Stiles drives straight into the bad guys, smashing into the alpha.

The Skinwalker's alpha gets straight back up again but that's not the point. The point is, the distraction the pack needed to attack. And they do.

The second Ash and Jessie are let go, they run. And I mean, _run_.

The wolves clash with the Skinwalkers, with absolutely no pity or mercy. They're all claws and fangs, hungry for _blood_. For redemption, for revenge, for what they've done to Jessie and Ash, all those innocent people.

Jessie collides into Stiles, bursting out in tears because they were moments away from _burning her alive_.

Stiles hugs her back tightly. He touches his hand to her hair, finding it's wet. He can smell _gasoline_. Stiles shuts his eyes with an angry scowl, hugging Jessie even closer to him.

"I've got you, baby. I've got you." He tells her, the girl sobbing and huddling as close to him as she can. "You're safe now. I've got you."

The Skinwalkers may have the speed but they certainly don't have the strength to match offended and completely rage-driven werewolves.

Scott just sees red, he runs straight into the Skinwalker that was holding his sister. The man is big, alot bigger than a teenaged Scott. But Scott doesn't care, he's too far gone to care about details. He swings fists and swipes claws out, clipping and tearing at skin.

Scott's thrown onto his back but the young beta kicks out with as much force as he can, throwing the Skinwalker off of him.

Scott gets to his feet to see the Skinwalker just finishing his transformation into his dog form, a Pit Bull Terrior. But that doesn't stop Scott either.

The werewolf and the dog run at each other, colliding and throwing each other to the ground.

It's Scott that gets the upper hand though, wrapping his hands around the Terrior's neck tightly until he hears a sick crack. Until it's no longer moving. Until it's no longer breathing. Until it's no longer _alive_.

Derek lets Peter and Isaac handle the other one. Derek's going after the alpha. The alpha is _his_. He rounds on him, both alphas growling at each other.

"You just don't die, do you?" The Skinwalkers chuckles, like it's a game.

Derek bares his fangs angerily.

"You really think you're fast enough, Hale?" The Skinwalker's alpha asks Derek.

"Yeah. And I'm gonna rip your throat out, with my teeth." He growls, rushing at the other alpha.

You can hear the bones straining, cracking even, as they fight, throwing each other, slamming each other into the ground, into trees.

But the Skinwalker's alpha can't compare to the angered pain Derek feels deep in his chest, in his _heart_.

Derek manages to lock his fangs around the Skinwalker alpha's neck before he can shift into his dog form, and possibly retreat and escape. Despite his threat to 'rip your throat out with his teeth', he doesn't. He uses the alpha's pained distraction to his advantage, smashing him into a tree, almost putting him _through_ it. With the alpha dizzy and dazed, and bleeding, Derek tackles him to the ground, pinning his arms down and his body down by stradding him.

The Skinwalker only has a second to go wide eyed and _attempt_ to plead for mercy before Derek's claws meet his chest and torso, tearing into him like he's made of soft cheese, not bones and blood and _flesh_.

Peter and Isaac handle the last Skinwalker easily with the two of them on only one of them.

Scott races over to Ash, pulling the terrified girl into his arms and holding her close, promising her that she's safe and he's not going to let anything else happen to her.

She cradles her cast between them, her wrists sore from being tied up, the pain all crashing down around her now that she's not running off of pure fear-fueled adrenaline anymore.

"Derek." Isaac says when the alpha doesn't stop, his claws slashing into the now long dead Skinwalker alpha. "Derek! Stop! He's gone!" He yells, seeing his alpha has fully let his wolf take over, taking out every frustration, every worry and woe, these things have caused them since they came into their town.

All the dead bodies, the McCalls losing their mother, John and Stiles getting hurt, Scott getting hurt, Derek himself almost dying, Ash and Jessie being kidnapped. He lets it _all_ go. But he's having trouble pulling back from it.

Peter knows he has to get involved, he can tell just by looking at Derek. He's fully let go with no immediate intentions to pull himself back. Not until the Skinwalker is a puddle of blood and mashed bone at his feet.

Peter grabs his nephew, dragging him off the Skinwalker that now looks like the dead bodies it's been leaving behind. Cut, torn, butchered, _maimed_. Like the goddamn animal Derek truely is.

"Hey, that's enough." Peter tries to calm him, holding onto him roughly because the alpha is fighting to be let free. But Peter's not letting him go until he can feel Derek has calmed down some. "You did well, Derek." He says, only loud enough for the alpha to hear.

Despite Derek trying to catch his breath, and see past the rage he feels, he turns his head to face his Uncle in complete shock.

"Yeah, you did." Peter says with a nod, looking at his nephew.

Peter's given Derek a hard time for a long time, but this, how he's managed to have a pack that not only saved their town but Jessie and Ash too..Peter can't deny the commendability of it. What he said is true, Derek did do well, his pack did too.

"Now, calm down. Jessie needs you." Peter tells him.

Derek looks away from his Uncle, looking over at his sister.

She's buried in Stiles, sobbing uncontrollably.

"Go." Peter says, helping Derek stand properly, letting his arms go.

Dripping with blood, but not caring, Derek walks over to the pair, letting himself calm down because, just by glancing at the mauled body on the ground, it's _over_. Derek takes Jessie from Stiles' arms, pulling her into his own.

Stiles meets his eyes, allowing Derek to comfort her now.

Derek doesn't say it, but he gives Stiles a thankful look.

Jessie hugs him back tightly, crying into his shoulder.

Derek ignores the smell of gasoline on her, rubbing her back.

"It's okay, Jess. You're safe now." He promises her.

Jessie nods, hugging him tighter.

Derek looks over her shoulder and sees Scott's hugging his own sister tightly.

Scott looks up, meeting Derek's eyes. He nods to the alpha and the alpha nods back.

..

..

 **Derek and Scott lost it! Because they love their sisters and their friends! Time for them to relax abit now, not too much though ;) Favourite, follow and review!**

 **READ THIS TOO!**

 **I was thinking of letting them settle down for a little while, maybe a baby or something, but that's all a little too soon and I don't want to skip heaps of time or anything, and also that would mean this fic would be ending soon!**

 **So.. Here's a little passage from a new idea I got from a dream I had last night about something new to come and wreck havoc on the pack's and town's lives, maybe even take a life or two, maybe even** _ **change**_ **a life or two..**

 ****** They should have known better than to think they were safe. They should have known something else would come. Beacon Hills is _literally_ a beacon. The Skinwalkers attracted them, gave them ideas, made them want what the Skinwalkers failed to take, made them _thirsty_. ******

 **What do you think? Yes to another monster coming in? I think so, otherwise I have to start packing this fic in soon. So, give me your opinion because you know I love it!**

 **-IGotTheWanderingMind xx**


	42. Down Time

**Shout out to:**

 ***Serena Sterling: Exactly, noone messes with their girls! Something's coming.. You're welcome and thanks!**

 ***Maxine Hale: What do you mean by that? I googled it, because I didn't know what pseudo meant hehe, and it didn't help me at all :P**

 ***TheHungryRainbow: Yes, they're going to have a break, a small one :) I don't want to sound like I'm just blowing off your ideas, because they are good, but I really don't like following the tv plotline anymore. I don't really know why, I guess it's just because I've done it so many times already and everyone does it and you always know what's going to happen and so on. But, I do consider this a crossover, I just don't like posting in the crossover section. I do like the idea of the Winchesters coming to town (like Santa :P) I just don't know how I'd swing it. So, no promises about that but I will look into it :)**

 ***Tesla424: Hi, you're back and caught up! Thank you, that's all so sweet! Yes, I plan to continue and to bring in a new big bad, then maybe they all settle down with each other and I slowly close off this fic, but, we'll see what happens!**

..

Stiles lays on the sofa in a blanket of his own. The Sheriff's in the armchair beside his son, the football game plays but they're not paying much attention, they're just enjoying each other's company. John reaches over and gently pats where Stiles has the stitches in his arm, happy his son's okay. Stiles gives him a small smile in return.

Isaac lays on one sofa, laying on his back. He just looks up at the ceiling, his body still healing from the night's events, just a few nicks and scratches, nothing major, _nothing_ like what Derek did to the Skinwalker's alpha.

Peter, suprisingly, hasn't left to go home. But, after what he said to Derek, the other people in the loft aren't as sour about having him here. He stands up by the large window, looking up at the moon that's about 2, maybe 3 nights away from being full. Peter can almost laugh at how much easier it was when all they had to worry about was the betas getting out on the full moon, that seems like a lifetime ago.

When Derek hears her even breathing from the other sofa, he carries a sleeping Jessie up to her bedroom.

He lifts up her blanket and lays her down gently. He's tucking her in when she stirs awake, looking around in confusion before she spots him.

"Wha' are you doin'?" She mumbles sleepily.

"Putting you to bed." Derek says, lifting the blanket back over her and setting it down gently. "I have to go out." He says.

Jessie becomes more awake now, looking at him with a frown.

"What? Why?" She asks him.

Even if the Skinwalkers are dead, she doesn't want him going out their alone at night, _you never know what could be out there_.

"No, I don't want you to go out there." Jessie says with a deeper frown.

Derek's frown softens, because that's exactly how she would sound when 15 year old Derek was going out with his friends, drinking, partying, doing what teenaged boys do, and 9 year old Jessie was staying home. And Derek can admit, there were a few times where he couldn't leave and he stayed home with her, he couldn't leave, not when when those big ocean-like eyes were begging him to stay.

"I'm not going out anywhere." Derek assures her.

"Then what are you doing?" Jessie asks him.

"I just..I have to go check on Ash, make sure she's okay." He says, a little shyly.

Jessie smiles softly and nods.

"Yeah, I get it." She says.

Derek nods and stands up from where he was sitting on the edge of her bed. He goes to walk out but Jessie speaks again.

"You're worried about your girlfriend." She says, testing the waters, seeing how he'll respond to that label.

Derek stops and turns his head to look over at his little sister. He looks aroud the room, thinking, before he summons an answer.

"Yeah, I am." He agrees.

Jessie nods, silently glad he didn't say something stupid, or try to say they weren't anything like that. No, Ash and Derek aren't like Jessie and Stiles, but they're certainly more than just sex by now, definitely.

She settles back into her blanket as Derek leaves the room.

Scott's not long put Ash to bed as well. He's straightening up the living room area when he hears footsteps. After everything that's happened, Scott's on instant alert. His eyes snap up to the door when it's quietly pulled open.

But Scott backs down when he sees it's just Derek.

Derek shuts the loft door again and then he and Scott are just looking at each other.

"It's really late, Derek." Scott points out.

"Yeah, I know. It's why I came in the front door, I knew you'd be up." He says.

"Okay." Scott says, crossing his tan arms over his chest.

"How's she doing?" Derek asks.

"Ash, you mean? Well, as expected. She's shaken up to all hell." Scott says. "How's Jessie doing?"

"She's finally asleep." Derek says. "She's not too well either."

"They'll be fine, they just need a couple days to get past it." Scott says.

"Yeah." Derek nods.

"Okay." Scott says again.

It falls quiet again.

"You wanna go up and see her, right?" Scott asks when the alpha doesn't leave.

"Yeah, I would." Derek nods.

"Why didn't you just go in the window, like you usually do?" Scott asks, raising his eyebrows, because he knows Derek's been doing that to see her lately.

"Because I'm sick of hiding." Derek says. "I know you don't like this, me and Ash. I get it, I do. I didn't like Stiles and Jessie in the beginning either. And I know Ash didn't like you and Allison at the start either. But we're adults, so you don't get a say in what we decide to do-"

"But-"

"Just listen." Derek says, holding a hand up to stop him.

Scott sighs and stops, letting the alpha continue.

"I'd think by now you'd have some trust me, Scott."

"I do." Scott says. "But..she's my sister, it's different."

"I know that. But, what do you think I'm gonna do to her, Scott? You think I'm just gonna up and disappear, leave her behind or something?" He asks the younger wolf. "With the Skinwalkers dead, she's safe with me. You said so yourself, that was the problem."

Scott just looks at him, not sure how to answer the questions.

"And _she_ 's already warned me, if I want to break things off, I have to tell her to her face." Derek assures him.

Scott can't help the snort of laughter that passes his lips.

Derek frowns in confusion.

"Sorry, it's just.. By agreeing to do that, you've signed your death warrant." Scott says. "You know that, right? Heartbreak and my sister don't go well together."

Derek frowns a little, he's sure Ash said she never told Scott the truth about Jacob.

"I don't know exactly what happened with Jacob-" Scott starts and Derek listens, wondering what he's going to say. "-but I do know something must have happened because I never saw him again after Ash came home."

"We don't talk about him, I wouldn't know." Derek says, lying as perfectly as he can because it's not his business to tell Scott the truth about what really happened between Ash and Jacob.

"What I'm saying is, you're right, I can't stop you. But, you'll have something alot uglier to deal with than me if you break her heart." Scott warns him. "She'll kill you herself."

"I don't doubt that." Derek says, because he's seen her get.. _crazy_. With Peter when he was the alpha, when Derek himself was the alpha, with Gerard, with Kate and the Argents, with the Skinwalkers, with anything that threatens her or her family. _Especially_ anything that threatens her beloved family.

She may be human, but she is as fierce as a wolf is. That's the effect of runing with hounds, I guess. And, of course, the effects of her less than pleasant upbringing as well.

"Fine then, go." Scott says, nodding in the direction of the stairs. "But, I'll warn you, she's..when she's scared like that she's.."

"I know." Derek nods. "I'll be careful." He says.

"Okay." Scott nods.

The alpha and beta look at each other for a few more seconds before Derek walks over to the stairs. He pauses, looking back at Scott.

Scott notices Derek hesitates and looks back up at him.

"I'm gonna take care of her, you'll see." Derek says before walking up the stairs, not bothering to wait around for a reply or a reaction or anything.

Scott doesn't give him one anyway, he just watches the older male walk away, no words on the tip of his tongue to say back to that.

Ash is still shaking a little, from the scare of the terrible night they've had, when Derek silently enters her room.

For a moment, he just looks at her, her back that's covered by her blanket that she's completely wrapped herself up in. He frowns at how shaken up she still is, but Jessie was the same way before she fell asleep. Being treated that way, pulled around, tied up, _hurt_ , that can only bring sour memories back for Ash.

He takes a step forward, the tiniest creak in the floorboards.

Ash pauses, hearing, _feeling_ , something behind her. Something that's being far too quiet. Something suspicious..

Derek touches her arm and is _completely_ suprised with what happens next.

Ash flips them, pinning the alpha to bed with a knife to his throat, straddling his lap so he's held down momentarily.

"Oh.." Ash realises, meeting the warmly familiar forest-like eyes with her own.

"A little jumpy?" Derek asks her, glancing down at the knife to his throat. It's almost ironic, they've been in this situation before, months ago though. Ash went after Derek, put this same very knife up to his throat and threatened to kill him if he ever hurt Scott again.

"I..I'm sorry." She stutters over the apology, quickly pulling the knife away from her lover. She all but drops it to the floor before she wraps her arms around him tightly, hugging the _hell_ out of him.

Derek hugs her back just as tight. They don't kiss, they hug. It's not about intimacy is this moment, it's about knowing the other is safe, _alive_.

Ash buries her face in Derek's neck, holding onto the back of his henley tightly.

Derek's hands come to her back when he hears her sniffle. It's been a very tough, both physically and emotionally, past few days for everyone, especially Ash and Jessie with the kidnapping. Derek doesn't blame her for getting upset, Jessie did too.

"Shhh, it's all okay now." He hushes her, rubbing her back.

"I'm sorry." She sighs, feeling stupid for _literally_ using him as a shoulder to cry on.

"It's okay." He says. She pulls back and he sees the couple of stray tears that have managed to fall. He takes her face into his hands. He uses his thumbs to wipe away her tears.

She smiles a little at him, putting her hands over his and threading her fingers through his.

Derek rests his forehead againist her's.

"I'm so glad you're safe." He says quietly, the confession only meant for her ears. It's bold for him, but it's true. If Stiles hadn't have come in when he did, Derek doesn't know how that would have ended. Either the end of Beacon Hills, or the end of his pack.

Ash nods, her eyes filling with tears again so she doesn't speak.

Derek leans forward and kisses her gently before pulling her back into a hug.

Ash hugs around his torso, closing her eyes and resting her head againist his.

"You should really get some sleep." Derek says to her, knowing and feeling just how tired she is from all the events that have taken place, especially after the night they've had.

"Please don't leave me here alone." Ash whispers, a little ashamed to be saying it, but she really doesn't want to be alone right now. She wants him to stay because he makes her feel safe ans secure.

"I'm not going anywhere." He promises her, brushing his hand down her silky hair. "Lay down, let's go to sleep, it's really late." He says.

"Okay." Ash nods.

The two manover themselves until they're laying down, still wrapped around each other. Ash lays her head on his chest and Derek keeps both of his arms around her, holding her close, _safe_.

"I'm not gonna let anyone hurt you again." Derek assures her in a whisper.

Ash nods againist his chest, curling as tightly close to him as she possibly can, squeezing her eyes shut in an effort to stop the tears leaking from her eyes.

..

Ash and Derek both snap awake when there's a sudden squirming weight over their bodies.

Derek's alert and on guard in a split _second_.

"Jesus Christ." Ash sighs in relief.

But of them relax once they see who the culprit is, the curly black-haired _cute_ little culprit.

"Ash. De'ick." Jade smiles widely at them.

"Sweetpea." Ash says, hugging the girl tightly, not caring as her black locks get in her face. "God, I missed you so much."

"Scott must have left early to get her." Derek says, looking at the two sisters.

"Yeah, not so much."

Ash and Derek both look in the direction of where the other voice comes from.

Everything falls quiet.

Because, right in Ash's doorway stands both her Uncle and Aunt.

"Uh..h-hi." Ash says akwardly, looking at them.

"Yeah, hi." Hailey says, looking between the two adults.

Jeff looks between them as well. It's all _very_ clear that Derek isn't just around to help look after Ash anymore.

Jade, completely unknowing to the delicate situation, wriggles between Ash and Derek, laying on her back, until she's comfortable.

And Hailey's a tad uncomfortable with how closely the three of them look like their own little family. Mom, Dad, and baby. Only because she had no clue _this_ was going on.

"If you just give me a minute, I'll be right out." Ash says, needing to break the thick silence.

"Yeah. Okay." Jeff says, glancing at Derek and then back to Ash. "C'mon, Jade." He says.

Ash helps her off the bed and the toddler follows the two adults out of the room. The door clicks shut again, leaving just Ash and Derek in bed again.

"What do we tell them?" Derek asks her.

Ash sits up and then gets out of bed. She stretches a little then looks over at Derek.

"The truth." Ash says.

"Okay." Derek nods, getting out of bed as well.

Ash walks up to him and rests her hands on his chest.

"Thank you for coming over last night." She says.

"I needed to check on you, make sure you were safe." He says.

"I know but..you've had so many chances to take off and you haven't."

"I'm not going anywhere." He tells her. "Not unless you want me too."

"I don't want you too. I like having you around, alot." Ash says honestly.

Derek's lips unturn, happy to hear that.

"C'mon, let's go face your family." He says to her.

Ash nods, grabbing his arm and leaning her head on his shoulder as they walk out of the room.

"You owe me 5 bucks." Hailey's talking to Jeff, as the two adults walk down the stairs.

"You were serious about that?" Jeff asks her.

"Yeah, I was. I knew she'd fall for tall, dark and handsome." Hailey says knowingly.

Ash clears her throat from the bottom of the stairs, getting both of their's attention.

Scott looks over at them from where he's playing with Jade on the sofa. He smirks a little, glad to see they aren't hiding anything, not that that'd make sense now that Hailey and Jeff caught them in bed together. But Scott's still glad to see they're proud of what they have, not ashamed of it.

"So.." Hailey says, looking between the two adults. "When were you going to tell us you were together?"

"Oh, we're not.." Ash trails off, because they aren't officially, but they still sort of are together. "Sorry, it just..slipped my mind." Ash says.

"Well, I can't say I'm surprised." Hailey says, making Ash and Derek look in her direction, they're the ones surprised, surprised to hear her say that.

Ash chuckles a little, relieved when a smile comes to her Aunt's face, over-taking that lecturing scowl she was wearing moments ago.

"Derek, a minute?" Jeff says.

Derek looks over at the man.

"We should have a talk." He says.

Scott chuckles from his place on the sofa.

Derek nods, knowing that wasn't a suggestion. He meets Ash's eyes, giving her a small nod to tell her 'it's okay'.

Because this is _normal_ , this is what happens when you start dating someone, like some kind of tradition. The woman gossip, the men have 'talks', making sure the new partner knows exactly what will happen to him, and his genitals, if he hurts the girl. Normal feels..good. It does. It's not dangerous, it's not supernatural. It's nice.

..

Stiles and Jessie walk towards the McCall loft later that afternoon.

The whole pack wait inside, along with Hailey, Jeff and John.

Ash is throwing a dinner, she wants to see her family, her pack, all together in the same room. After everything that's happened, it's a smart idea.

Stiles stops though, Jessie unaware and she keeps walking.

There's been words on the tip on his tongue since they got Jessie and Ash back, he needs to say them, now. He needs her to know, he wanted her to know but then she was taken. If something worse had happened to her or him, if he couldn't have been able to tell her these words, to her face..he'd be crushed.

And earlier, when he was with her at the Hale loft, cuddling her, letting her cry and express her worries to him, Stiles didn't tell her the truth either.

So, he needs to now, _right now_.

"I love you, Jess." Stiles says.

Jessie hears him and stops, frozen. It's quiet for a few long seconds before she turns back around to face him.

"What did you just say?" She asks him.

"I said, I love you." He says. "I'm in love with you." He says, locking eyes with her. His insides twist up as the silence drags on. He's nervous, he's _terrified_ , of how she's going to react to the bold confession. But it's the truth, he had to tell her.

Jessie opens her mouth but nothing comes out. She's never been loved like this before. Noone's ever been in love with her, hell, she's never even been in a relationship like this before.

"You don't have to say it back." Stiles tells her. "I just needed you to know how I felt." He says, looking down at his feet because she hasn't said anything, let alone moved, since he admitted his God's honest adoration for her.

"Stiles.." She says with a soft sigh.

He shuts his eyes, waiting for that untimely break-up, waiting for that rejection, waiting to be tossed to the side-

"I'm in love with you as well."

Stiles' eyes shoot up, unsure if he heard that correctly.

"I..I love you." Jessie says, and she's actually quite nervous to admit it even though he already did it first. She's never been in love before, not until now.

Stiles slowly starts to walk towards her, afraid she'll take off like a scared bunny or something. He stops in front of her, his hands coming up to touch her shoulders.

"Okay." Stiles nods.

"Okay." Jessie says, nodding as well. She moves forward, wrapping her arms around his back tightly and burying her face into his neck.

It's such an intense intimacy without actually being intimate.

They hug so tightly, so closely, so _loving_.

Stiles brushes his hand down the back of her head softly.

They both pull back enough so they can look at each other. It's Jessie that moves forward first again, kissing his lips so gently, like she doesn't want to ruin this moment. But she doesn't, and Stiles kisses her back just as softly, his hand coming up to craddle her face like she's the most important, most delicate, thing in his possession. And it is a little bit like that. It's first love, it's deep, it's heavy. But it's the kind of love that will last, they both really hope so.

"Now, c'mon, family's waiting." Stiles smiles, pulling back.

Jessie smiles and pecks his lips once more before the couple walk into the McCall loft, hand in hand, big _real_ smiles on both of their faces, seeing the entire pack and family inside, right down to baby Jade.

..

..

 **After all the crazy, they needed a nicer chapter, it's only fair. But Stiles said the three words and Jessie said them back :3 But, that quiet doesn't last forever :P Favourite, follow and review!**


	43. The Quiet

**So of you may, and some of you won't, recognise the scene I borrowed from 'Sons Of Anarchy'. I own nothing you recognise!**

 **Shout out to:**

 ***Serena Sterling: Hehe, you will see! I'm glad you liked it! You're welcome and thanks!**

 ***Maxine Hale: Oh, right! I thought so, but the google definition was confusing me because it talked about being shameful and stuff and that confused me. Hmm, like I've said, I've seriously thought about a Stessie baby in the near-ish future, but not a Dashlee one yet. But, the idea is in the air! And thank you!**

 ***Tesla424: Hehe, yes, except the knife part :P**

 ***momentum123: You're very welcome!**

 ***TheHungryRainbow: Hehe, that was like a cute riddle type of thing, if I understood correctly that is :3 Sorry but the fluff and cuddles will end, but won't disappear completely, the couples will have their moments!**

 **Thank you for all the reviews, I can't believe I'm at 135 already! Thank you so much, keep it up, I love to know what you think and what you like!**

 **Enjoy, and please read the end note!**

..

 _A week later_

Things have been quiet. It's nice. It did take a few days for everyone to calm down, but they got there. They got there and now they can enjoy it.

Well, at least, that's what they all thought.

Because, of course, things never stay _too_ quiet.

And that's exactly how this very night was ruined..

Ash comes back from the store, holding a couple brown bags filled with groceries.

Scott's with Stiles, something about a video game night. It's a good idea, they should definitely enjoy this calm time while it lasts. You never know what could happen in Beacon Hills, it could all go to hell in the space of a single night, _in the blink of an eye_.

But while Scott and Stiles were relaxing, and Isaac was getting in some late night studying to catch up for the days he skipped to help Derek, the two eldest Hale men were out in the woods.

Nothing major, just since the incident with the Skinwalkers, Derek insists that he and someone do a walk of Beacon Hills' borders, just to be safe, just to make sure nothing else is trying to sneak into _his_ town and cause trouble, and _hurt_ his pack.

Tonight, that responsibility fell to Peter to help Derek out.

Ash smiles at Jessie, seeing she's still playing with Jade on the living room floor, just how Ash left them before she went to the supermarket to pick up a few things their household needed or wanted before the store closed for the night.

"Hey." Ash says, putting the brown paper bags onto the kitchen counter. "How was she?" Ash asks Jessie as she walks back into the living room, looking at the two girls.

"She was good, just wanted to play. I think she's getting sleepy though." Jessie tells the older girl, watching as Jade starts to lose interest in the soft toys now, taking a little more time to blink and open her eyes again, becoming quite drowsy.

"It's getting late, I should put her down to sleep." Ash says, walking over to the two girls.

"Yeah." Jessie nods.

Ash lifts Jade off the ground and Jessie stands up.

"Heard anything from Derek?" Ash asks her, knowing he and Peter are out there somewhere.

"No, not yet." Jessie says. "He'll be fine, though." She assures her, knowing it takes alot to take her brother down, Derek's proved that more than once.

"Yeah." Ash nods. "How are you doing, after everything?" Ash asks the younger girl.

"I'm doing okay." Jessie says. Without her realising, she touches her cheek where the Skinwalker cut her, where's it's just a faded pink mark now. "The last couple of days I've been alot better." She says honestly.

"That's good." Ash says. "I know uh..I know it shook you up." She says, referring to her almost being burnt alive. But Ash isn't saying that out-loud.

Jessie nods, knowing what she's talking about.

"Yeah, it..it did." Jessie admits shyly. "But my boyfriend saved the day, I guess. My knight in a shining Jeep." Jessie chuckles.

Ash smiles too.

"How about you? I know that might have made you think of some past things as well." Jessie says, talking about what happened with her father. Jessie doesn't have to explain either, Ash understands as well.

"I'm okay now. I just had to get out of there, come home and feel.. _safe_." Ash says.

"Me too." Jessie nods.

Jade yawns from Ash's arms, smacking her lips softly and laying her head againist Ash's chest.

"I should put her to bed. Thank you for looking after her." Ash smiles softly at Jessie.

"Anytime." Jessie smiles back. "Goodnight, Ash." She says, heading for the door.

"'Night, Jess." Ash says. Once Jessie's left the loft, Ash goes over to the door, locking it. She heads up the stairs, going to her room.

Jade starts to fuss a little, wanting to lay down not be moved.

"Oh, shhh. What's all the fuss about, hmm?" Ash hushes her gently, going into her room.

Ash pauses when she hears her shower running in her bathroom. But it only takes her a moment more to realise who it would be. Ash sighs in relief, knowing he's safe.

Since everything with the Skinwalkers, Derek and Ash have stuck closer together. The bond between them has definitely gotten stronger, not as much as Jessie and Stiles where they're admitting they're in love or whatever, but it's very clear whatever Derek and Ash have isn't just about sex anymore.

Derek's spent more nights with Ash than at his own place in the last week actually. Hell, he's using her shower right now, but that was more so Jessie wouldn't see the state he's in.

"Here, baby." Ash says, putting Jade into her crib. She tucks the blankets around the girl and kisses her forehead. She stays with Jade for a moment, brushing her hair softly until her eyes close and she's well on her way to a peaceful slumber.

Ash walks into the bathroom, she pushes the door shut quietly. She puts the toilet seat down and sits on it. She brings a knee up, draping her arms over it and she looks over at the steamed glass of the shower knowing that it's Derek inside the walls.

Derek hears her heartbeat and knows it's Ash, so he just continues washing the blood from his body.

The watery red splashes onto the bottom of the shower and is sucked down the drain. It runs down his hair, neck and body until he's clear of it, and the water runs clear, no red tainting it.

He hoped he could avoid Jessie, so he came here, and he could finish showering before Ash got home so he could avoid her seeing him dripped with blood too.

Both Ash and Jessie worry alot, Derek was just trying to avoid stressing them out even more, especially after everything that's happened. But, none of that worked, Ash still found him.

Ash looks down at his clothes on the ground. More precisely, the _blood_ splattered on them. She feels that sinking in her stomach, like she felt when all the dead bodies started piling up weeks ago.

Concern.

Worry.

 _Dread_.

"Rough night?" Ash asks, her voice no louder than normal because she knows he'll hear her.

And he does.

Derek sighs and turns the shower off. He steps out, wrapping a towel around his waist. He leans againist the wall opposite her and looks at her. But her eyes aren't on him. He follows her train of sight and then silently kicks himself for not thinking of getting rid of his clothes or hiding them or something, in case she came back early, like she has.

He looks down at his clothes as well, seeing the blood from both himself and the rogue werewolf he and Peter came across.

He wasn't a friendly omega either. But they managed, with a little _persuasion_ , to get him to go looking for another town to settle into.

"Yeah, a little." He nods, looking up at her.

Ash looks away from the clothes, looking up at him now.

"What happened?" She asks him.

"Don't worry about it, Ash. We're whole, it's all that matters." He tries to brush it off as he walks away, not wanting to worry her even more than the frown on her face shows she is.

"Are you kidding me?" She asks him.

Derek pauses, realising that didn't soothe her concerns at all. He walks back over to her, crotching down in front of her.

"Ash." He sighs, shaking his head. He's tired, he doesn't want to do this now either. He just wants to get in bed.

" _All_ I do is worry about it." She says. "Worry about you, worry about Scott, about the pack, about my family. I worry _every_ time you or any of them go out there." She tells him. Watching him almost die more than once has made Ash a little cautious, and she cares about him. And after everything that the pack has been through, she worries about them all too. And her family..that one speaks for itself.

"We're fine, Ash. It was just a scuffle." Derek assures her.

"And you almost dying, was that just a 'scuffle' too?" She stresses.

"You're never gonna get past that, are you?" He asks her. He admires that she worries the way she does, but it also has it's downfalls, because she puts herself in a sour mood from all that worry.

"If it was the other way around, and you'd been the one to find me, you'd understand." Ash says.

Because she can still see it all, how he was when they crossed paths at the school. He was _barely_ hanging on by a thread, it's not something you just forget.

"I did find you." He says, a frown coming to his face now too as he remembers finding her body on that driveway after her father attacked her. She was barely hanging on as well.

"It's not the same." Ash says, trying to wipe the frown from his face as well now too.

"It doesn't matter if it's the same or not." He says. "I know how you feel, trust me. That sickening sinking feeling in the pit of your stomach? Yeah, I felt it too." He says.

Ash doesn't nod but it is the exact feeling she had when she found him.

"But look at me, Ash." Derek says, standing back up and holding his arms out. "I'm okay." He says, letting them drop to his sides again.

"It's that easy? You just come back here to me, heal, wash away the blood and everything's fine? Everything bad just goes away?" She asks him. "Just like that?"

"Yeah." He nods. "Just like that, Ash." He says.

Derek leans forward and kisses her head before walking into the bedroom. A slightly worn sports bag now sits under Ash's bed, half-filled with his clothes, for when he stays over. They're the only two who know about it, they don't want everyone to think it's something it's not. It's not like he's moving in, it's just so he knows he has spare clothes if he were to need them, like he does right now.

Ash sits there for a moment longer, biting at her thumbnail and looking at the clothes with a frustrated frown. She sighs, standing back up.

"Just like that." She repeats to herself quietly, scooping up his clothes and putting them into the hamper by the basin.

Ash walks into the bedroom. She stops, watching as Derek finishes changing into sweats and a grey singlet. She's not really watching him, she's more looking at his tattoo. That bold, black trisklele that sits proudly in the middle of his back.

He feels her looking at him so he turns around as he pulls his singlet down, covering it.

"What?" He asks her.

Ash doesn't have an aswer for him.

So, the two adults just look at each other for a few more quiet moments.

"Come here." Derek says.

Ash walks over to him now. When she's close enough, she leans into him.

He wraps his arms around her, hugging her close to him. Sometimes she just needs this closeness, to know he's really here and he's really okay. It's alright though, because Derek does it to her as well.

Ash brings her arms around his waist, hugging him back.

"Let's just go to bed, let this go." He says in her ear. "If you really wanna know in the morning, I'll tell you, I promise." He says.

They pull back and Ash nods.

"Okay?" He asks.

"Okay." She agrees.

"C'mon." Derek says, leading her into bed.

They both get into bed, slipping under the covers.

Ash lays her head on his chest and Derek brings his arm around her.

It doesn't take long for Ash to get sleepy.

"Sleep, Ash." He says, softly kissing her head.

Ash is too tired to do or say anything but so she just curls closer to him and shuts her eyes, giving into unconciousness.

..

 _The smell. The smoke. The screaming._

 _It's all he smells and hears as his teenaged body rips through the woods as fast as it possibly can._

 _His mother, screaming._

 _Dad, screaming._

 _Uncle, screaming._

 _Baby sister..sobbing in absolute fear that someone her age should_ _ **never**_ _have to experience._

 _Then he sees images from the other night with the Skinwalkers, when they threatened to burn Jessie alive._

 _Then he hears Jessie screaming for help, for someone to please help her, for anyone to help her._

 _Then he sees her laying in the grass, sobbing uncontrollably, clutching her bleeding arm with her other hand, the blood slipping past her fingers easily, but Jessie so caught up in the flames to care._

 _He races to her side, tumbling down beside her. He tries to help, but he can't understand what she's saying anymore, her throat and body are drowning in her tears._

 _He stands up, approaching the house, even though the screams have died down to nothing and he can smell the sizzling flesh already._

 _But, he takes no more than 3 steps forward before the house begins to collapse in on itself._

 _His eyes widen, burning from the heat and stinging with tears because he knows his family, his Mom, Dad, Uncle, baby sister, are all inside._

 _He forces himself to go forth, because he has to do_ _ **something**_ _._

 _But Jessie screams for him to stop, to please, please,_ _ **please**_ _, not go in there._

 _In fact, when he steps even closer to the burning house, because he can't leave them in there, Jessie scrambles over to him, gripping his arm as tightly as she can and incoherantly begging him to stay._

 _Because Jessie knows, she heard it and watches it, that it's far too late for either of them to save anyone inside that house._

 _So he does the only thing he can do, he sucks up his tears and he crotches down beside his sister. He takes her arm into his hands and leeches her pain._

 _The two are quickly surrounded by sirens and flashing lights, red and blue, orange, just..everyone._

 _Cops, ambulances, fire engines, people in their own cars. Just..everyone._

 _Then it's Laura, she's crying and she's about as coherant as Jessie is as she snatches her two younger siblings into her arms, shielding them away from the still blazing fire that firemen are attempting to put out and from the buzz of policemen and people asking questions and shoving microphones and cameras in their faces, all of them heartless and unconsiderate considering_ _ **they just lost their damn family for Christ's sake**_ _._

 _"I-I'm sorry." Is all he remembers actually saying after that. "I'm so sorry."_

Derek's eyes snap open, accompanied with a sharp inhale and a small jolt. He lets out a breath, looking around the room, finding he's in his own bed and whatever nightmare, more of a _memory_ , he was having, he's woken up from it now.

His sharp movement causes the girl laying on his chest to stir softly. Derek stills again and Ash moves closer to him in her sleep, tucking her face into his neck where he smells the nicest, where he's the warmest, where he's just _cosy_.

Derek gently brushes her hair out of her face and looks down at her. He finds she's still sleeping peacefully, no frown, no furrowed eyebrows or creases along her forehead. She looks utterly peaceful, and calm. He puts his hand over the arm she has stretched out across his bare chest. She stays asleep with no immediate intention to wake up, for at least a little while longer, so Derek lets his eyes close again. He moves just a little closer to her and relaxes, letting himself slip back into unconciousness again, hoping he doesn't re-enter that _nightmare_ again.

..

Ash wakes up with a light yawn. She stretches a little, accidently bumping her hands right into Derek's face, making the wolf wake up as well. Ash feels him move and looks up.

"Uh, Ash." He groans sleepily, moving her hands out of his face.

"Sorry." Ash slurrs drowsily, putting her hands back on his chest again.

"It's okay." He says, slowly stripping away his sleep-riddened state. He runs his hand up her back to the nape of her neck, brushing his thumb over it gently.

Ash smiles softly at him, her eyes still hooded with sleep. She glances over at the window and then back to Derek again, resting her chin on his chest as well.

"We slept in." She says, referring to the sun that's trying to shine through the window and curtains.

"Hmm, we can do that now." He says, not caring about the time of day like he usually would. There's nothing chasing them or trying to kill them right now. They can sleep in and it's all okay.

"Are you okay?" Ash asks him.

The question throws Derek off.

"Yeah." He says.

"You just..you look like you've seen a ghost or something." Ash comments on how he's a little more pale than usual, on how he looks like he hasn't slept even though he did.

"No..I'm fine." He tells her. But, truth is, seeing all of that last night in his dreams, _reliving_ it, it did a number on him.

"Are you sure?" Ash asks him, knowing that's not the whole truth. "You know..you can tell me if something's wrong.." She offers, unsure how he'll react.

"I..I know." He says. "But it's nothing, I'm fine." He says anyway.

Ash nods and leaves it at that, knowing if he wants her to know or to talk about it, he'll speak up about it. And he isn't doing that, not right now.

"Well, I'm starving." Ash says, pushing the blankets off her body and getting up.

Derek follows her lead, both of them walking down the stairs to the living room.

Both of their heads snap towards the kitchen when there's a soft crack from inside.

Derek's eyes narrow, turning red.

"Stay behind me." He says to Ash, taking lead.

Scott's taken Jade out with him to the library so he can pick up a couple new books, he woke Ash earlier to tell her.

So, whoever's in the kitchen shouldn't be-

Ash sighs softly, leaning againist the doorframe.

Derek relaxes too, watching them both as well.

"Oh, my god, Jess." Stiles chuckles, white powder flushing the room out and sticking to their skin and clothes.

Derek and Ash watch the flour, the _entire_ bag of flour, that Jessie just ripped open on accident, slowly float to the ground.

"Shit, help me clean it up before Thing 1 and Thing 2 wake up." Jessie says to Stiles with a chuckle of her own. "Derek doesn't like mess, I imagine Ash doesn't either."

"No, not really." Stiles answers, helping her make a pile to sweep up.

Derek clears his throat, making both teenagers turn to the pair slowly.

Jessie smiles sheepishly, knowing they must have heard her nicknames for them considering they're both got their eyebrows raised.

"Oh..morning." Jessie smiles sweetly.

"Afternoon." Stiles corrects her, earning a soft glare from his girlfriend.

"What the hell are you two doing making a mess in my kitchen while we're sleeping?" Ash asks, looking between Jessie and Stiles then at the broken egg shells on _her_ counter and the flour all over them both and _her_ floor.

"Uh..we were _trying_ to make lunch." Jessie says.

"Scott said he'd be back soon, we said we'd make lunch." Stiles backs her up.

"Okay. Well.." Ash looks around her kitchen, really not wanting to get involved in their attempt to cook, and she certainly can't be bothered helping them clean up. "Get it cleaned up." She settles with not scowling them, because it was an accident and they look so adorable, covered with flour, that she just can't, not when she's just woken up.

"Yes, ma'am." Jessie smiles.

Ash chuckles and leaves the kitchen, going over to the sofa as Jessie and Stiles continue to clean up.

Derek stays in the doorway for a moment longer, looking at them.

"You know, bowl's are in that cupboard, you could have just put the flour in one of them." He says cheekily, nodding to the third cupboard.

"Well, you're here so often, I'm not suprised you know where every dish goes." Jessie replies just as cheekily with an innocent smile.

Stiles forces himself not to chuckle, in fear that Derek might _finally_ go through with his threats and kill him.

"Funny that, Stiles stays over at our place so often but he doesn't know where anything goes." Derek shoots back, Stiles held laughter not passing by his wolf ears.

"Okay, you win that round." Jessie decides, giving her brother a real smile now.

Stiles' face softens into a smile now too, happy to see the Hale siblings are getting along so well, he's just happy everything's going so well after the hell they've been through.

"Just get it cleaned up." Derek reminds them before walking away too, sitting down on the sofa beside Ash.

"You see? That's why I call them kids." Ash yawns before stretching out on the sofa, putting her head in Derek's lap and dangling her legs off the arm of it.

"Maybe you should get some more sleep." Derek suggests, brushing her hair back so he can look down at her face.

"No, I'm okay. Besides, someone made me a promise last night." Ash says, looking up at him, locking her blue eyes with his green ones.

"Ash, c'mon." Derek tries.

"No, you _promised_." She reminds him. She sits up, getting off him. She turns to face him with a sigh. "I can't..I can't handle anymore lies, none of this hiding the truth crap. Just..tell me. If something else is coming, I want to know." She says.

"Nothing's coming, Ash." He assures her. "We just..we ran into a werewolf last night, an omega."

"Shit." Ash sighs. "What happens now?"

"Nothing." Derek says. "Peter and I convinced him to find another town." He says.

" _Convinced_?" Ash questions, knowing it's not that simple.

"Well..the blood? He needed a little more than spoken words before he'd leave." Derek tells her, deciding it's best if he's just honest with her.

Because Ash is right, lying, hiding the truth..it only causes trouble, Ash knows that first-hand. It might even be the reason Derek almost got killed, but that's in the past and they're not going to dwell on that.

"What if he comes back? What if he isn't really an omega? What if another pack come and-" She starts firing questions at him.

"I'll deal with it _if_ it comes to that." Derek stops her.

"If what comes to that?" Jessie asks, entering the living room as well, sitting down on the other sofa.

"It doesn't matter." Derek shakes his head.

"Right." Jessie nods. "Well, unless you have other plans, wanna have lunch with us? You know, considering it's your place and your ingrediants, heh." Jessie smiles innocently at Ash. That little, innocent smile, Jessie can't remember how many times that's gotten her out of trouble before, especially with Derek, the man caves to it. He tries not to, but alot of the time he does.

"Sure, I'm so hungry." Ash caves to it as well.

"Derek?" Jessie eyes, giving him that smile and those cute baby blue eyes as well.

"Yeah, sure." He copes to it, agreeing to stay and eat with them as well.

"Cool." Jessie smiles widely. "We'll just wait for Scott."

Jessie is really enjoying being, not only a part of this pack, but I part of this wayward, mixed up _family_. It feels..nice, to have a family again, a family bound by loyality and love, not just blood, not that her family meant any less to her. But it does feel good to be a part of something like this again, something _good_ , something helping make the world a better place.

..

..

 **See, huh? See?! Not all quiet, but not too crazy either, not yet.. Mohaha! Enjoy the calm while it lasts! And poor Derek, having a little nightmare-ish dream/memory..I might play more into those too..maybe..**

 **END NOTE: Just a head's up, with Christmas so close and all the holiday cheers that will take place, I might wait until after Christmas to update. Sorry for the short notice but I have commitments to family, I know you'll understand :) But, if I can, I will update as soon as I can! If I don't talk to you wonderful people again before then, have a very, very Merry Christmas and I hope it's a fantastic day for you all and all your friends and family enjoy themselves as well, you deserve it!**

 **Favourite! Follow! Review!**


	44. Vexation

**Thanks so much for waiting patiently! I really, really hope everyone had an amazing Christmas Eve, Christmas Day and Boxing Day! I hope you all got everything you wanted, got to see everyone you wanted, and ate all the food your stomach would allow!**

 **Shout out to:**

 ***Bre (c41): I know, no more death! But, it's inevitable unfortunately. I will give you a** _ **little**_ **spoiler, one person's life will be changed from this new 'thing' but I'm not givng anything else away about it! It's not what you may think either! That's okay, I'm glad you're still reading and reviewing and enjoying!**

 ***Serena Sterling (c43): Exactly, I agree! Is it linked? We'll see.. Thanks, I hope you had a good Christmas as well!**

 ***AlphaWolf19 (c41): It's okay, but thank you! More or less, it was all more to provoke Derek into giving up Beacon Hills. Yes, I'm going along with the little passage! That sounds cool, good luck to you for your fic! I still have another 'season' with a new big bad to go and then maybe it'll be some settling down before I finish this fic, unless I see another opportunity but right now I see an end date coming up because I'm going to be** _ **very**_ **busy very soon. Hehe, I see we have more than one fan of Skyrim reading this fic :P**

 ***Guest (c41): It's fine, I** _ **love**_ **long reviews! Oh, that's so sweet, thank you :) Hmm, I've never written anything about adoption, unless it's a sibling to another sibling like I have in this one, but I sort of like it :) No promises though, you know me, I'm always changing my mind and twisting things up! Yes, I'm going ahead with the passage!**

 ***momentum123 (c43): Thanks, Merry Christmas to you as well, even if it is a little late ;) I'm back now!**

 ***Guest (c41): Thank you! I really like that idea, I'd be cute, but I don't know if it would work for my fic, but I do like the idea!**

 ***TheHungryRainbow (c43): You too! Hehe, I won't kill you, I promise! But I can't promise I won't kill anyone off in this fic..sorry.. Happy Holidays back to you!**

 **Mohaha, I knew I wasn't done with Jacob's character! And I have bigger plans for him as well!**

 **..**

 _A couple days later_

Derek's trying to read but something's..off. It's sort of like when you have a bug on you, and it irritates you until you give in and pat yourself down until you either find the damn thing or you're sure it's not there.

He can feel something. But not on him, it's _around_ him. Something in the area is not..right.

Derek snaps his book shut and places it on the table. He looks around the house with a frown, trying to find what's out of place so he can at least soothe his mind.

Jessie and Isaac sit on the sofa, their eyes glued to the television as they watch a sirlion steak being fried in the caramelised juices from the onions they soaked and cooked in brown sugar earlier. Isaac's practically drooling. Jessie's making mental notes in her head, trying to remember how to make it and what to use, or how she's going to convince Derek into making it for her considering she's a mess in the kitchen, like she showed with the flour incident.

So, those two are okay.

Derek takes his phone from his pocket, hitting his speed dial to start calling the members of the pack that aren't here.

"Now's not the best time, Derek- Hey! I said _sit down_!" Ash orders Jade when the girl tries to leave the 'naughty step'. She takes the phone away from her ear to finish her scowling. "No, don't you pout at me, young lady! I told you, you are _not_ allowed to tip the dish detergent on the floor and make a slide, and what did you do? You tipped the dish detergent on the floor and made a slide!" Ash's voice tips an octive higher as she tells Jade off.

Derek just listens in surprise, because he _can_ hear it all despite Ash's hand over her phone. He's never really heard Ash tell Jade off before. If Derek thought Ash was like a mother before, he's got another thing coming.

"I said, slide!" Jade yells back. "I go slide!"

And that actually suprises Derek more.

"You little.. If you weren't.. _Argh_!" Ash throws her hands up in frustration, walking out of the living room and going into the downstairs bathroom. She slams the door shut and locks it.

She takes a calming breath before taking her hand away from the phone and bringing it back up to her ear.

"Hey, sorry, stubbed my toe." Ash lies, sounding normal again.

"Oh, really?" Derek asks.

"You uh..you heard that?" She guesses.

"Yeah, it was kind of hard not too." Derek says.

"Sorry." Ash sighs. "Anyway, is everything okay?" She asks, because he doesn't call or text often.

"Yeah, I was just checking in." He says.

"Well, we're.." She doesn't say 'fine', because Ash wants to spank Jade for being as cheeky as she has been, and misbehaving like this. "We're not in any trouble." She decides to say.

"Are you okay?" Derek asks her, hearing the frustrated exhaustion in her voice.

"I gotta be, right?" Ash sighs. "No, I'm okay, really. I just..she's playing up and I don't know why."

"She's getting to that age, Ash." Derek says.

"No, I know that, but she's _always_ been better behaved than those snot-nosed rugrats." Ash says.

Derek can almost chuckle at her choice of words, but he doesn't, because she sounds on the verge of being upset.

"Maybe she misses her Mom?" Derek suggests.

The other line falls quiet and Derek almost thinks Ash has hung up, until he hears her sigh heavily.

"It's the 24th today, right?" Ash asks him.

Derek makes a sound of agreement.

"It's 2 months today." Ash says. "Oh, God. How could I forget?" Ash sighs again, heavier.

"You didn't forget, Ash. It's just not the first thing on your mind-"

"That's even worse."

"C'mon, don't talk like that." Derek says to her. "Hold on, I'll be over in a minute." He says.

"You don't have too." Ash says.

"I'll see you in a minute." He says before hanging up, because by the sounds of her, he does have too.

Derek walks over to Jessie and the girl ignores the television, looking at him now.

"Yeah?" She says.

"Do me a favour, call Scott and Stiles, check in on them, just make sure they're okay." Derek says.

"Why? What's happening?" Jessie asks.

"Nothing, just do that for me. I gotta go across the hall, Jade's flipping out on Ash." Derek says, grabbing his leather jacket and pulling it on.

"Okay, _Dad_." Jessie smirks, looking back at the television again.

Derek flicks the back of her head as he passes her, and Isaac's too because he chuckles under his breath at Jessie's cheeky comment.

He walks across the hall and walks into the loft.

He stops, realising what Ash meant about a 'slide'.

From the kitchen to the living area, along the wooden floor, Jade has squeezed close to a whole bottle of dish detergent out onto the floor and slipped all over it. It's bubbled on the floor and where the toddler sits on the bottom step of the stairs, she's covered in slippery goo as well.

This must be what his _feeling_ was about, because this certainly isn't normal.

"De'ick, Ash bein' mean!" Jade hollers when she sees the man.

Ash comes out from inside the kitchen, spotting Derek as well.

Jade rushes away from the step and collides into Derek's legs, hugging them. She's upset because she was yelled at and put in time-out, but it was the consequences of her actions and she's only starting to learn that.

Ash sighs heavily and Derek just stands there, unsure what to do.

"Uh.." He says, a little speechless.

"Jade, sit back down." Ash says, keeping the volume out of her voice but not cutting out any of the firmness.

The toddler makes an objective sound againist his thigh.

"Jade May McCall, _sit down_." Ash commands in a voice that's scarily _exactly_ like her mother's.

Jade knows that voice, and she knows what the use of her full name means. So, she lets Derek go and shuffles back over to the step, sitting down on it with a loud thud.

Ash sighs again, rubbing her hands down her face because she's feeling all wound up and stressed now, that's the _opposite_ of how she wants to feel. She just wants to relax and enjoy being safe and _alive_.

Once Derek can make himself move again, compose himself, he walks over to her. He doesn't realise how much she dislikes having these fights with Jade until she flings herself at him, hugging him tightly.

"Hey, Ash? It's okay, these things happen." He tells her, resting his hands on her back gently.

"I can't control her, she's like a gremlin that's been fed after midnight." Ash mumbles againist his shoulder.

Derek turns his head to look over at Jade.

The toddler gives him a big, _innocent_ smile. Derek can't believe her to be anything close to one of those furry balls of mischief.

"I'm sure it's a phase or something, it'll pass." Derek tells her, looking back at Ash now.

Ash doesn't respond, she just keeps hugging him.

Derek's comfortable with hugging her, considering that's pretty low on the list of physical things they do, but Ash sort of..won't let go.

"Okay." Derek says, putting his hands on her shoulders and pulling her back.

Ash makes an objective sound, sort of like Jade's from moments ago, and frowns at him.

"Part of taking Jade and Scott under your guardianship was dealing with this." Derek reminds her.

"I know." Ash sighs softly. She knows she's being almost as juvenile as Jade is, but she can't help it. Of all the times Jade could play up, now is not the time.

"I'll help you clean it up." Derek tells her.

"No, no, it's okay. I can do it." Ash says.

"I'll help you." Derek says again, because he knows right now she needs a little help.

Ash nods and kisses him softly, her way of saying 'thanks'.

Ash gets rags and a bucket with water from the kitchen, bringing it out to him. Her and Derek both kneel down and begin cleaning the mess up, a comfortable silence between them.

Jade watches them with inquisitive eyes. Part of her knows she was doing something bad, because Ash already told her 'no', but another part of the young girl is confused as to why she can't have fun and make a mess.

That's when Scott comes home, pausing when he sees the two adults on their hands and knees with rags and Jade pouting from the stairs.

"What happened?" Scott asks, walking over to the pair.

"Long story." Ash says. "If you wanna help, you could bath Jade?" Ash suggests, part of her wanting the toddler out of her sight for a little while.

"Yeah, okay." Scott nods. "Listen, I uh..I wanted to go to the cemetery later on. I..I don't know if you want to come." Scott says, because he knows what the 24th means too.

 _2 months since they lost Melissa McCall_

"Yeah, I will come." Ash nods to him, that same sad look coming to her eye that Scott woke up with this morning.

"Okay." Scott nods back. He shares a look with Derek before he walks over to Jade. "C'mon, bath time."

"I not bath, I slide." Jade says stubbornly.

Before Ash can open her mouth and snap, Scott speaks.

" _No_." Scott says, looking down at the girl beside him. "It's bath time, come on, now." He says.

Jade's frown deepens and she looks over at Ash and Derek now. She makes a whining sound before thumping up the stairs beside Scott, obviously not happy that she has to get cleaned up.

Scott turns the taps on and begins filling the bath with warm water. He puts some off Ash's lavender lotion into the water making a pleasant smell and bubbles for Jade to play with.

Scott helps her undress and then lowers the toddler into the bath slowly. Jade splashes around with the bubble a little before Scott begins to gently wash her and rub shampooed hands through her growing dark mess of hair.

"Jade, we need to have a little talk." Scott says to her.

..

By the time Scott comes downstairs with Jade again, the two adults are finished wiping up the spilt detergent and rubbed in soap suds. Derek sits againist the wall with his knees up. Ash lays in his lap, her legs stretched out along the ground.

"Ashy." Jade says in that cute voice as she walks away from Scott and up to Ash.

Ash looks up at her but doesn't move.

"I sorry." Jade apologies.

"What for, Jade?" Scott urges.

Ash looks between her brother and sister, knowing Scott must have had a conversation with her while he bathed her.

"Um, for being..for not listenin' and makin' a mess." Jade says. "I love you." She says, leaning down and kissing Ash's forehead just like Scott told her too.

Any scowl left on Ash's face melts away, because there's no way she can stay mad after that.

Ash exhales softly and pulls herself out of Derek's lap, sitting up.

"Come here." She says, holding her arms open to Jade.

The toddler smiles and dives into her arms eagerly.

Ash kisses her head, smelling her lavender bath necessity on her younger sister.

Derek and Scott share another look, a softer look.

"While she's still up..we should go, bring Jade with us." Scott suggests.

Ash knows he's talking about the cemetery. Ash knows she can go to the cemetery, she did for the burial, but she doesn't know if she's mentally and physically prepared to break down in tears, not after the last couple weeks they've had. But then, when Ash looks up at Scott, sees that look in his eyes, on his face, the look that says he _needs_ to do this, she just nods, finding she can not object.

Derek stands up, taking Ash's hand and helping her to her feet as well. Because they both know this is where they part ways.

"Will I see you later?" Ash asks Derek.

"Yeah." Derek nods.

Scott averts his eyes and looks at Jade, trying to give them a _little_ privacy. He's getting better with accepting they're..an item. He knows he can't stop Ash and he knows he can't stop Derek, and Derek was right, the Skinwalkers were the threat and they're dead now, the circumstances have changed.

"Okay." Ash says, turning to face Scott. "Should we go see Mom?"

..

Jade stands between Scott and Ash, a tombstone before the three of them.

Ash's eyes graze over the solid obsidian headstone in front of her, because Melissa always loved the darkness of the stone, and just the way it looked, especially in the sun. Then it's the freshly gold-plated lettering pressed into the stone.

 _Melissa Anastasia McCall 12/07/1975 - 24/04/2015_

 _Devoted Mother, Loving Sister, And Loyal Best Friend_

Ash thinks she may just burst into tears right there. But she holds them back, only because her little brother and sister are right here too.

Jade frowns a little in confusion, she thought her Mommy was in heaven.

"Ash?" Jade says, tugging on her sleeve. "Where's Mommy?" She asks.

Scott looks at Ash and Ash looks down at Jade. Ash scoops her younger sister up into her arms, holding her on her hip.

"She's here, Jade." Ash tells her. "This is where she was buried, remember? They buried her in the pretty casket, the one with the silver handles?" Ash reminds her of that horrible day where they had to watch their mother be buried in the ground.

"But I tho't Mommy was in heaven?" Jade says, because she does remember that day too.

"She is." Ash says. "Her body's here, but her spirit's up there." Ash says, like Melissa used to say to Ash about her Grandparents.

"Can I go there, can I see her?" Jade asks.

Scott moves closer to them, gently brushing Jade's hair.

"No, Sweetpea, not yet." He tells her. "But one day, just not any day soon, alright?"

"Okay." Jade nods, her little mind understanding it all to a point.

"You miss Mommy, don't you?" Ash asks her, because she thinks Derek's right about her playing up today of all days. Even if Jade doesn't realise what today marks, she still senses it, if that makes sense.

"Yes." Jade nods. "Alot. I want her to come home." She says.

"I know you do, I do as well. But I'm sorry, she can't." Ash says.

Jade nods, her eyes becoming glassey.

"It's okay, baby, it's okay." Ash soothes her, gently bouncing her.

"I miss Mommy." Jade says, her voice cracking a little, breaking both Scott's and Ash's hearts.

Scott pulls his sisters close to him and wraps his arms around them, hugging them to his chest protectively, letting them both become upset safely in his embrace.

..

"Here, take my car, take Jade home." Ash says, taking her car keys from her handbag and handing them to Scott.

He takes them with a confused frown.

"What about you?" Scott asks her.

"I just..I'll walk, it's not far." Ash says. "I just need some air." She says, clipping Jade into her carseat.

"Ash, are you sure?" Scott asks her.

"Yeah, I am." She nods. "I'll see you at home, alright?"

"Alright." He nods, because he can see she needs some alone time. He goes over to her and kisses her cheek. "Call me if you need me, okay?"

"I will." She nods.

Scott takes the car, and Ash starts walking.

Ash decides to go the long way, to go all through the streets of town. She doesn't know why, but she finds comfort in the bustling streets of Beacon Hills this afternoon, as long as she gets to be alone though. Noise is one thing, company is a completely different thing.

She spots the coffee shop, the one she used to visit _alot_. They were the only place, store-wise, they would make her coffee actually how she likes it. Completely black, with alot of sugar, no creamer, no cocoa, nothing else.

She finds that her feet lead her into it without her permission. She hears that old ding of the bell that sounds when a customer walks through the door.

Then a familiar head pops up from under the register.

"Ash?"

She looks over at the counter, slowly recognizing the girl wearing the green apron with her blonde hair in a tight bun.

"Ash, is that you?"

"Taylor.." Ash says, slowly walking over to the counter. Ash didn't realise how long it'd been. She went from coming here every day or every other day, to not coming at all, for 2 months.

 _2 months_.

Because her and her Mom used to come here during Melissa's breaks or even just to catch up and gossip, just the two of them.

"It's been awhile, I thought you'd forgotten about us." Taylor says jokingly with that same friendly smile.

Ash returns it, glad she hasn't brought up her Mom's death even though Ash knows she knows about it, the whole damn town does. But on this day, Ash can't talk about it anymore.

"What will you have?" Taylor asks her. "The usual?"

"Uh.." Ash thinks about turning around and walking out. "Yeah, thanks." Comes out of her mouth instead.

"Okay. That's $4-"

"I've got it."

Both girls look at the new voice to enter their conversation.

"And I'll have my usual as well, both to have here, please." Jacob says, holding a fresh twenty dollar bill out to Taylor.

"No offence but.." Taylor says to Jacob before turning to Ash. "Are you okay with that?" She asks Ash. Taylor knows this man from his daily appearances here for the last couple weeks too, but she doesn't know how he and Ash are connected.

Jacob looks to Ash with a soft, pleading, _apologetic_ expression. And Ash just can't say no.

"Yeah, I know him. It's okay." Ash says, looking at Taylor again.

"Alright." The barista nods. She rings it up expertly on the register and hands Jacob his change.

"Come sit down with me, please?" Jacob says to her.

Ash sighs.

"Please, we should talk." He says. "Just while you have your coffee?"

"Yeah, fine, okay." Ash gives in, because she's feeling weak on the inside so she doesn't have many strong objections left in her. Besides, she made herself _very_ clear last time she saw him.

Taylor gives Ash an unsure look as they walk away but Ash just gives her a reassuring nod.

The two young adults sit down in a booth, one on each side of the table.

"I just thought I should let you know what was going on." Jacob says.

Ash crosses her arms over the table, guarding herself off.

"You said you were here for a few days then you were leaving." Ash says.

"Yeah, I know." Jacob nods. "But something came up. Not my grandmother, don't worry, she's in Sacramento as we speak, was finally transferred a week ago."

"That's good to hear." Ash nods.

"You know that resturant just out of town?" Jacob says.

"Yeah, the one with the overpriced lobster, right?" Ash says.

Jacob chuckles and it confuses Ash.

"Well, you're looking at the new owner and manager of that place with the overpriced lobster." He says.

"What?" Ash says.

"Yeah. With my qualifications from University, they had no problem passing the business onto me." He tells her.

Ash swallows and blinks. Once. Twice. He did study management, specifically _business_ management at college. But she _never_ thought he'd be so close to her home.

"It wasn't intentional, trust me." Jacob assures her, because he doesn't want to sound like a creep. "It was a complete accident. One of the docs was talking about it with a nurse when they came in to sign Grandma out. I heard and it just..snowballed from there." He tells her honestly.

"Okay." Ash nods. "So..you're living in the area?" She asks.

"Yes, in an apartment downtown." He tells her.

Ash nods, not sure how to respond because Beacon Hills is a small town, they're definitely going to bump into each other, it's guaranteed.

"I'm not trying to corner you or anything, Ash." He says.

Taylor places a sugared black coffee in front of Ash and some kind of coffee Ash probably can't even pronounce in front of Jacob.

They both thank her before she returns back to her station.

"I just thought-" Jacob brings his cup up, sipping at it. "Oh, that's good. -I just thought, of all people, you should be the first one I tell. I was going to call but I bumped into you here. I not long came from signing the ownership papers." He says.

"Well..I'm happy things are working out for you." Ash says, being civil and polite because he is as well.

They fall into quiet for a little awhile, only filled with the sounds of the cash register clicking open as Taylor hands out change, and the coffee machine, and the soft clink of Ash and Jacob's cups againist their saucers as they drink from them then place them down again.

"Can I ask?" Jacob breaks the silence.

Ash looks away from the table her and her Mom used to sit at all the time, the one by the window with the most sun. She looks across the booth at the dark blonde.

"Ask about what?" She asks.

"You know.." Jacob hints.

"Oh." Ash realises. "No, don't, I'm really not in the mood to fight with you, Jacob." She says.

"Not a fight." He assures her. "I just..is it serious? I mean, would I be wasting my time if I..maybe..tried to win you back?" He asks boldly.

Ash's eyes dart between his frantically, because she had no clue this is where her day would lead her.

"We're better off just being friends, Jacob." Ash says, not really answering any of his Derek-related questions. Because her and Derek don't have a label, but that doesn't mean Ash would ever think of going off with Jacob again, no way.

"Friends? Okay." He nods, accepting that much to Ash's liking, because she couldn't argue with him again like that, not today. "I can do just being friends."

"As long as we're not enemies, right?" Ash says with a small smile.

Jacob sees her smile and smiles too.

"Yeah." He nods. "As long as you don't plan on knocking my filling out again." He jokes.

Ash chuckles, smiling a little more now, because she vividly remembers feeling and seeing his filling come out when she punched him square in the mouth back in college.

"No promises." She says, amused.

When Jacob excuses himself to go to the bathroom, Ash brings her phone out. She decides to text Scott, to let him know she's going to be home a little later.

 _Stopped for coffee, will be home soon. -Ash_

 _Okay. Be safe. -Scott_

Her eyes fall to Derek's name in her contacts. Her..sort of..boyfriend..no, her.. _something_.

She decides she should text him as well.

 _I stopped for coffee on my way home and bumped into Jacob. He needed to talk to me so I'm going to stay out for awhile longer. I'm explain when I'm home. I'll see you later. -Ash_

Because she knows even the big bad alpha can get jealous, and she knows if it would be about anyone, it'd be Jacob. But this is coffee with an old friend, and _that's it_.

A loopsided smile comes to Ash's face when she thinks of how Derek reacted to the Skinwalker's scent on her, how possessiveness reared it's pretty little head for a moment, and how wanted Derek made her feel in that moment.

"What's the grin for?" Jacob asks, sitting back down across from her.

"Oh..nothing." She brushes it off, because he wouldn't even understand it if she told him.

..

"Derek? Derek!"

Jessie walks into the kitchen, groaning loudly when he's standing _right there_.

"Hey, Derek? I only called out to you like a _million_ times. What the hell, I could have been dying." She says.

Derek looks up at her now with an unimpressed look.

Jessie gives him a sorry half-smile, because Derek's still protective of Jessie after what happened with the Skinwalkers, her dying is still a sour topic for him, even if it is just a joke.

"What's the frown for?" Jessie asks, walking over to him.

Derek quickly slips his phone back into his pocket.

"Nothing." He says, more mumbles, turning back to the cupboards.

Jessie sees right throught that lie.

"You remember the first time you got in serious trouble at school? And only Dad knew for awhile because you didn't want us to know?" Jessie asks.

Derek turns his head to look at her in confusion, wondering why she brought that up.

"I remember, after Mom scowled at you and Laura asked you what was wrong. That ' _nothing_ '- She imitates his deep voice and scrunched up eyebrows. "-was the exact same answer you gave back then as well."

"That was a long time ago." Derek says, turning back to the cupboards to stare blankly at the cans and packages of foods inside.

"Yeah, well, that answer you just gave me was literally seconds ago." Jessie reminds him.

"Hmm." Is all he gives as an answer.

Jessie narrows her eyes before they fall to the phone in his back pocket that he was looking at moments ago. She sneaks forward, Derek too lost in his thoughts to pay attention to her.

Well, that's until he feels something touch him.

Derek spins around, catching Jessie by the wrist, his phone in her hand.

"Heh." Jessie chuckles awkwardly, not expecting to have been caught, especially not like this.

"Don't." Derek says, taking it back out of her hand and putting it back into his pocket, his front pocket this time, where her sneaky hands won't be able to steal from without him realising.

Jessie sighs and he lets her go.

"Why are you so sour?" She asks him, jumping up and sitting on the kitchen counter.

Derek doesn't pay any attention to her.

"Did Jade flip out on you as well?" She asks.

Again, he ignores her.

"Did Ash dump you or something?" She asks jokingly.

Derek glances at her and away again. But Jessie catches it.

"Wait..she did?" Jessie pauses, her voice dropping all signs of joking.

"No, she..we're not even dating." He says.

Jessie rolls her eyes, because they've all heard that at least 10 times before.

"She just.. Never mind, it's not your business." Derek says, deciding to just shut the cupboard doors and walk out of the kitchen.

Jessie quickly jumps down from the counter and steps into Derek's path, putting her hand to his chest so he stops walking.

"Jessie." He warns.

"No, if you can terrorize my boyfriend then-"

"Stiles told you about that?" Derek asks her with a scoff. "Cry baby."

"No, he didn't actually." Jessie says. "I just know you well, I know what you're like." She informs. Then she smacks his arm. "And don't call him that."

Derek sighs.

"It's not fair, Derek. You can't be involved in my relationship if I can't be involved in your's. I'm just trying to look out for you, like you're doing with me and Stiles." Jessie says. "Now, I'll ask _once_ more. What happened?" She asks, letting her hand drop to her side.

Derek's eyes flick to the loft door, knowing he could _probably_ get past her if he was quick enough and out the door without a fuss.

Jessie's hands twitch, because she can see him assessing the situation.

"C'mon, Derek." Jessie coaxes.

But when she's looking at him like she's worried and her voice tells him she is, Jessie reminds Derek so much of Laura and he was never able to escape Laura either, especially because she was a werewolf too so she could chase him and keep up easily enough.

"That was Ash before." Derek says.

"On the phone?"

"Yeah, she text." Derek nods. "She's having coffee with her ex boyfriend."

"What?" Jessie asks, because that doesn't make sense to her at all. There's a reason they're called _ex_ boyfriends.

"It's not that simple though. He's been around again since before me and her..hooked up." He says, choosing appropriate words around his baby sister. "We thought he left town..turns out we were wrong."

"Okay, I'm going down there." Jessie decides.

"Hey, no." Derek says, grabbing her arm before she can try.

"No." Jessie says, pulling away from Derek. She speaks again before he can say anything. "If I have to stand by and watch another girl betray you like Kate did then I'm probably going to blow my brains out." She says before snatching the Camaro keys and walking out of the loft.

Derek just stands there, not sure what to do or say. He didn't think Jessie knew about Kate, well, he didn't tell her. And even if he did know that she knew, he never thought she'd just bring it up like that either.

But she's right, it's the reason Derek isn't going down there himself. Because he can't take being betrayed by another girl, not again. And not by Ash, not by the girl he thought was _nothing_ like Kate.

Derek's just lucky he has a sister who cares so much.

Ash bids goodbye to Jacob and walks out of the coffee shop once she's finished her coffee. She's just about to call Derek, when she spots Jessie leaning againist the Camaro in the parking lot.

"Jess?"

"What the hell are you doing here with him?" Jessie asks her.

"No, Jessie, it's _nothing_ like that-"

"I thought you were different, I thought-

"Jessie!" Ash says loudly, making the girl stop. "I'm not doing _anything_."

"And I'm just supposed to believe you and your ex are 'hanging out', right?" She asks, her voice getting louder too.

"Yes!" Ash says defensively, she didn't expect to just get _attacked_ like this walking out the damn door.

"Why?!" Jessie yells. "Give me one good reason why I shouldn't-"

"Because I think I might be falling for Derek!" Ash exclaims.

The two girls are lucky there's noone dwelling in the parking lot.

Ash's eyes widen because she didn't realise those words were going to blurt from her mouth until they already had.

"You..what?" Jessie asks, her voice at a normal volume now.

"I think I..I think I'm starting to fall for him." Ash says, her voice returning to normal now as well.

Jessie studies her and she can tell the older girl isn't lying.

"Like, in love?" Jessie asks.

"I..I don't know." Ash says. "I just know I don't wanna be with anyone else." She admits quietly, looking down at her boots.

Jessie's eyes and posture soften.

"Well, he's waiting for you at home." Jessie says.

Ash lifts her eyes off the ground to look at the younger girl.

"C'mon, I'll drive." Jessie says, opening the passenger door for her.

Ash gives her a shy smile and gets into the Camaro.

Jessie smirks proudly to herself as she walks around the car to the driver's door.

..

..

 **Once again, not as magical as Stessie, but that's just the way I like to write Dashlee, I think it suits them :) By the way, they won't be saying the three big words for a long time, if they do at all, they're going to more** _ **show**_ **it, or say it in different ways.**

 **And, update on this story's future! I had a** _ **huge**_ **rush of inspiration for this new big bad/season for this fic! Oh my, God, I'm getting excited about it now, I just hope it turns out as well as I hope when I put it into writing! An old face will be appearing for a moment or two as well..**

 **Favourite, follow and review!**


	45. Conflict Arises

**Shout out to:**

 ***Serena Sterling: Thank you, I did, I hope you did as well :) Cuteness all around! No, Jacob's part in this fic isn't over just yet! You're welcome and thanks!**

 ***TheHungryRainbow: Hehe, I like your sarcasm! I'll try not to hurt your feels too much with my new plot :) Yes, Jadey was a little munchkin last chapter, but she's so damn cute as well! She definitely would be a troublemarker when she's older! Maybe, just** _ **maybe**_ **, I'll give you a little future look before I end this fic too ;)**

 ***Tesla424: I'm guessing you mean Taylor? I like it :) Yes, all very true, and I'm glad you agree! Yes, poor McCalls, but they have their sad moments, and their good moments too of course!**

 **So, with Jacob's character coming back in..there's going to be a little conflict..**

 **..**

The next morning, the unofficial couple lay in Derek's bed together this time.

After Ash got home, and she went over to Derek's to explain why she was with Jacob, and to tell him what he had told her, she could see this little glint of jealously in his eyes despite his best efforts to hide it.

Ash wanted to assure him that she was _only_ his, whether they're exclusive or not.

Things very quickly snowballed from there, as they usually do when it comes to these two.

Derek lays in bed, awake, Ash sprawled out across his broad, bare chest as usual. She's still sleeping. Her hair's a mess but Derek rakes his hand through it anyway.

She's so peaceful and it's so quiet.

Jessie's staying over at Stiles', and Isaac's sleeping. So for the most part, the loft is silent.

As much as Derek likes how rambunctious Ash can be, it is nice for her to be still and quiet like this too. But he soon finds he's had enough of it, and he wants her to fill the air with her laugh or her ramblings like she usually does, like he's come to like how she does.

Ash stirs, hugging a little closer to him.

"Ash? You awake?" He asks, looking down at the girl wearing his shirt.

"Mmm." Ash hums, barely awake.

He runs his fingers down her spine, making her shiver.

"No. Go 'way, 'm sleepin'." She mumbles sleepily, weakly slapping his hand away from her.

Derek doesn't listen to her, of course, and his hands come to her sides before he starts to tickle her.

 _Tickle_ her.

The girl squirms in an instant, snapping awake.

"N-no, no! Stop-stop it!" She says through her laughter.

When he doesn't stop, she jumps up and straddles him, pinning his arms to the bed.

"I'm trying to sleep." She says, trying to be serious but she's more amused than anything.

Derek just sits up, Ash moving with him. He gets her onto her back easily, smirking down at her as he pushes her hair from her face so he can see that bull-like face she wears when she's frustrated. Narrowed eyes, flared nostrils and clenched teeth. But because she's sleepy and it's only half-hearted she looks more cute than angry.

He anticipates it before it happens, because he sees something mischevious glitter in her eyes seconds before it happens.

Ash rolls them, but doesn't realise how close to the edge of the bed they are. This ends in both adults tumbling to the floor. Derek, on his back with a thud, and Ash right onto his chest, where she's come to belong.

"Shit." Ash laughs, a big smile coming to her face.

And that right there, that smile and laugh, that's exactly why he wanted to wake her up.

"Um.." There's a few knocks on the room door with Isaac's awkward throat clear. So, he's not asleep anymore, I guess.

"Yeah?" Ash says.

Isaac slowly opens the door, and he's not even that surprised with what he sees, he's just glad they aren't naked.

"Um..there's something you should both see, especially Ash." Isaac says.

This takes the smile from Ash's lips, replacing it with a frown.

"I'll wait in the living room." Isaac decides, pulling the door shut again behind him as he leaves.

Derek and Ash get off the floor quickly. They make sure they're dressed to appropriate measures before walking out of the room.

Isaac's not the only one here, Peter's with him too. He hasn't been around for the last week or so, so it's a little surprising.

"What is it?" Derek asks, looking between the two males.

Peter turns the newspaper around and pushes it in front of the alpha.

Derek frowns as he reads the title. So, maybe his bad feeling wasn't about Jade at all.

"More dead bodies? But we dealt with the Skinwalkers, we left none of them behind." Derek says, looking up at his Uncle.

"Maybe we did." Peter says.

Ash yawns and looks down at the paper now as well. She rubs the sleep from her eyes before she reads it.

"No. No, there's no way." Derek shakes his head. "They would have attacked by now. This is something else, or someone else." He says, pointing down at the papers.

 _HEADLINING RESTURANT STAFF FOUND DEAD, ONE SURVIVOR_

Ash reads it and her face falls, and her stomach does little flips. She starts the read the article, hoping this isn't what she thinks it is.

"Something else is here?" Isaac asks Derek.

"I don't know, Isaac."

"What about that omega?" Peter asks, looking at Derek now too. "We sure pissed him off."

"No, he's alone, he isn't stupid enough to come back." Derek says, frowning as he tries to think of what it could be.

"Well, maybe he did-"

"Then I'll find him and handle it myself!" Derek says loudly, hating how Peter's slipping back into that sarcastic, cocky attitude of his.

A soft gasp breaks the silence that follows Derek's scowl. All their eyes fall to Ash.

"Ash?" Derek says, thinking maybe his loud voice scared her or something.

"It's uh..the ones that died, they uh..they're Jacob's staff." Ash says, just staring down at the paper.

"Who's Jacob?" Peter asks.

"An old friend." Derek answers for her, because they don't need the specifics.

"I..I should go." Ash says with a frown, her eyes a little glassey.

"Wait, Ash." Derek says. He glances at the two betas.

Isaac takes the hint and goes over to the sofa, Peter rolls his eyes half-heartedly and follows the beta anyway.

Derek turns back to her, seeing she's upset.

"He's alive, Ash." Derek says.

"Yeah, we'll see. It says he's in critical condition at the hospital. I have to go see if he's okay." She says.

Derek understands her need to check on him, he does. He was Ash's first love, and now they're on okay terms. But he does feel that tang of jealousy again, but he doesn't voice it because he doesn't want to be clingy or overly-possessive. People don't realise, but males can be just as jealous, just as insecure, as females are, they're just better at hiding it.

"Want me to come with you?" He finds himself asking anyway.

"Yeah." Ash nods. "Yeah, I would."

He's surprised she said yes, but pleasantly surprised.

"I'll drive, we'll take the Camaro." Derek says.

Ash nods. She heads back into his room so she can change back into her own shirt.

Derek walks over to Peter and Isaac, taking his leather jacket off the hook as he passes it and pulling it on over the clean singlet he fished from the drawer before he left the room.

"We're gonna swing by the hospital, see if this guy knows anything." Derek tells them, his hands slipping into his jacket pockets.

"I'll call Scott, I'll tell him what happened. We'll get Stiles and Jessie back here and we'll do some research." Isaac tells the alpha.

"Yeah, thanks." Derek nods. Derek's eyes fall to Peter. "Uh..can I talk to you for a second?"

"Yeah." Peter nods, surprised by the question.

Derek leads them out to the balcony, shutting the doors behind them.

"What's going on?" Peter asks him.

"It's Jessie. She..she knows about Kate." Derek says. "She knows about me and Kate, I have no idea how."

"I didn't say anything if that's what you're asking me." Peter says, crossing his arms over his chest.

"Okay." Derek nods, not hearing his heartbeat blip or skip or anything.

"Maybe she pays more attention than you think." Peter suggests, because if Derek didn't tell her and Peter didn't, then noone did because they're the only two who knew the truth, Laura put it together as well but..she's not here. Well, and Kate, of course, but Peter put an end to that a long time ago now, put an end to _her_.

"Yeah, maybe." Derek says, thinking back to all those times he would get upset and blame himself then Laura would comfort him and try to tell him otherwise. And how Jessie stayed with them, and would have been home for close to all of those times.

Derek looks up when he hears Ash's footsteps. He and Peter come back into the loft then, with nothing else left to say.

"Ready?" Derek asks her.

Ash nods.

..

Ash doesn't go into the room, she just looks at him from the window.

Jacob lays in the hospital bed, he's sleeping, but he's much better off than how John came out of the Skinwalker attack. He's still critical, but he's definitely going to survive and recover.

Derek comes back with coffee, he left because he felt a little uncomfortable with the situation.

"Here." He says, holding the soft plastic cup out to Ash.

She turns to him, smiles softly, and takes it. She can smell how strong it is from here, because Derek knows her well, he knows exactly how she takes her coffee.

"Thanks." She says, bringing it to her lips.

He does the same with his cup. His coffee, with a little milk but no sugar. Bitter, sort of like he is.

"He's stable." Ash says.

"Yeah."

"I just wanted to check, we can go now." Ash says.

"Are you sure you don't wanna stay?" Derek asks her.

Ash turns around to face him and nods.

"Yeah, I'm sure." She says. She just wanted to check on him, not sit at his bedside, they're not that close, their relationship isn't that repaired. "Did you want to question him?"

"No. I'll let him rest, maybe another time." Derek says, knowing that's best.

"Okay." Ash says. She glances at Jacob one more time before gently wrapping her spare hand around Derek's arm and walking out with him.

..

"You okay now?" Derek asks her as they walk up the stairs to their lofts.

"Yeah." Ash nods. "I don't know, I just..panicked a little, you know? I thought we were past this, all the death." She says.

"We'll figure it out, like we always do." He assures her.

Ash nods before Derek pulls open his loft door, letting her walk in first.

They find the whole pack is here, all in deep conversation. But they all look up when they hear the loft door shut.

"What is this, Derek?" Scott asks straight away.

The alpha sighs wearily, and him and Ash walk into the living room where they're all seated.

"I don't know." Derek answers honestly. "It could be a Skinwalker we missed, or the omega Peter and I ran into the other night and sent away. But, I don't think so, they wouldn't make sense." He says, addressing them all now.

"So, it's something else, something new?" Jessie asks him.

"It's looking that way, yeah." Derek nods.

Their faces fall and their moods sour just like that. So much for enjoying the calm and the quiet.

"As far as we know-" Peter says, getting up to stand with Derek. "-whatever it is or whoever it is has killed 5 people already. We don't know why but it left a survivor, hopefully he'll know something but I'd say no. Whatever this is, it's not as sloppy as the Skinwalkers were." He says.

"So, we go back to how things were before. Don't go anywhere alone, watch your back, and stay out of the woods." Derek says.

"How things were before." Stiles repeats. "Great." He sighs, rubbing his hands down his face.

Jessie puts her hands on his arm, rubbing gently.

"I know." Derek says. "But it's how we stay alive." He adds.

"We should hit the books then, I guess." Ash says.

"What do we look for though?" Jessie asks her. "We don't exactly have much to go off."

"Okay, that's my job then." Ash says.

"What do you mean?" Scott asks her.

"Well, if I can hack into their cameras then we can hopefully see something. Right now, we know whatever it is was fast enough to kill 5 people and get out without attracting attention and before the police could be called, so start there. This thing is _fast_ , stealthy, smart." Ash says.

Derek doesn't think he's ever seen anything more attractive than Ash taking lead like that, showing not only her brains but her secet little skill too. Yeah, there's nothing more attractive than that, a girl who knows what she wants and is smart enough to get it.

"Yeah, I have a few ideas." Peter says.

"Me too." Jessie says. "C'mon, Stiles." She says, getting to her feet, holding his hand in her's.

They all begin to break off, going up to the library.

"Here we go again." Derek sighs to himself, because this is exactly what he _didn't_ want for his pack, he thought this was done, he thought they could be safe, live their lives.

He was _very_ foolish to think that.

..

"How long have you known?" Derek asks, standing behind Jessie.

Jessie pauses, her head coming up from her book but she doesn't turn to face her brother.

"I heard you and Laura talking about it once. I knew I wasn't supposed to know, and it was an accident that I heard, so I kept it to myself." She tells him.

"Are you mad at me?" Derek asks her.

Jessie does turn to face him now. She shakes her head.

"It wasn't your fault." She says. "I'm sorry she did that to you."

Derek looks down at his shoes, unable to summon an answer.

"I'm just glad you have better taste now." She says.

Derek looks up at Jessie again.

"She's a keeper, Derek. I don't know, you need to make sure she doesn't get away." Jessie says. She's not going to tell Derek what Ash said, because that's not her place, but she will make sure they're okay. It's not just Derek's job to look after Jessie, it's Jessie's job to look after him as well. That's what family does, they look out for each other.

"I don't plan to let her go anytime soon." Derek says.

"No, I mean, more than that." Jessie says.

"What do you mean, Jess?"

"Just..I don't know..buy her a ring, or something." Jessie suggests.

Derek looks like he's swallowed a bug.

"No, you know what I mean." Jessie says.

"Yeah, you mean I should marry her." Derek says. "You want me to marry the girl that I'm not technically dating.."

"Technically no, but, you know, a ring makes sure she knows she's your's and only your's and vice versa." Jessie says.

"I think we have that covered." Derek says to himself, thinking of the other night.

"What?" Jessie asks.

"Nothing." Derek brushes it off. "Well, I don't see Stiles buying you a ring."

"We're like 18, Derek, that's just silly."

"So's what you're saying."

"Fine, I was only suggesting, don't get your eyebrows in a twist." Jessie says, raising her hands in surrender.

"Why the sudden interest in me and Ash?" Derek asks curiously.

"Nothing." Jessie shakes her head, because it isn't her place to say.

"So, that's really it? You just..you don't care about what I did?" Derek asks, unable to get past how both Ash and Jessie are so _cool_ about him and Kate because Derek truely believes it was his fault because of their secret relationship.

"You didn't do anything, Derek." Jessie says. "I know you probably won't believe me, but it really wasn't your fault. I'm sorry you think it is, I wish you didn't. She..God, I hate her _so_ much, not just for what she did to our family but for what she's done, and is still doing, to you, Derek." Jessie says to him. "I just want you to get past this guilt and to be happy, hopefully with Ash."

"I am happy, with all of you." He admits, because he can always be authentic with Jessie, he's _always_ been able too.

"And the guilt? This blame?" She asks.

He doesn't answer.

"You'll feel a hell of alot better, Derek."

"And you?" Derek asks her. "I've seen that look in your eye _every_ day since the fire. It's the same one I have."

"No..that's different. I was there, I could have.. I _should_ have.." Jessie doesn't finish her sentences.

"No, you didn't, because you _couldn't_." He corrects her. "You were just a kid, there's nothing you could have done. And you need to stop blaming yourself for what happened with Mom." He says, gently touching his fingertips to the scars over her forearm.

Jessie's eyes follow his fingers, then she looks back up at him.

"If I promise to work on it, will you promise to do the same?" Jessie compromises.

"Yeah." Derek nods, because he can do that if it'll help her too.

"Okay. Deal." Jessie nods.

And just like when they were kids, Jessie spits into her hand and holds it out to him.

"Shake on it." She says with a grin.

"You're disgusting." He says, because he always hated when she did that.

"I know." She chuckles. She goes on her tiptoes to kiss his temple before walking back to where she knows Stiles is reading up on Wendigos, deciding not to torture her brother too much by making him shake her wet hand.

..

After hours of reading, of research, the pack have to call it a night before they pass out in their books.

Ash is frustrated because she couldn't get into their cameras. She needs to go to the resturant and do it the old fashioned way, physically, by wire

So far, they have about 5 or 6 _creatures_ it _could_ be. But they can't do anything until they have something more concrete than character traits. They can't risk anyone else innocent getting hurt, but that's also why they need to hurry as well.

But, right now, Ash can't sleep.

They're all going through the same motions as they did with the Skinwalkers. It's looking bad for the pack and Beacon Hills, _again_.

There's no way anything human could have done this, there's just no way.

Derek stirs, making Ash freeze. She looks up at him, seeing he's waking up.

"Hey, what are you still doin' up?" He asks her in his sleep-ridden voice once he realises the body laying on his is awake.

"I'm not, I just woke up too." She lies with a convincing tired look.

"'Kay, well, go back t' sleep, it's not even dawn yet." He says with a yawn, too sleepy to realise she was lying.

Ash nods and rests her head over his collarbone again as the alpha closes his eyes to go back to sleep.

The second time he wakes up, she's actually sitting up in bed, hugging her knees.

Derek reaches over and checks the alarm clock, a large red 2:00am staring back at him. He sighs, rolling back over to look at Ash.

She feels and hears him moving but doesn't want to meet his eyes.

"What are you _still_ doing up?" He asks her. "And don't say you just woke up, that's a shitty lie." He adds before she can say it again.

But Ash doesn't answer him, because she doesn't know what to tell him. For the life of her, she can't get to sleep, there's far too much on her mind.

"Okay, if you're not gonna tell me, can you at least lay back down with me and try to get some sleep?" He asks her.

"Only because you sound like a kicked puppy." She mutters, laying back down.

She hugs back into his chest with a soft sigh. He wraps his arms around her, very used to, and comfortable with, her laying across his chest like this. It's like their routine.

"Sleep, alright?" He says, his own tired eyes already shut.

"'Kay." Ash agrees with a slight nod.

Derek finds sleep again easily but, of course, Ash doesn't at all.

Now, Derek knows what Stiles says about things happening in threes.

 _One's an incident, two's a coincidence and three's a pattern_

So, Ash being awake for the third time is the last straw for Derek. In fact, it's her fault he wakes up again this time.

She tries to slip out of his bed without waking him. Which obviously didn't work.

"Ash?" He sighs. Because he's actually been in and out of sleep the last half hour because Ash keeps tossing and turning beside him.

She gets out of bed anyway.

"I..need some water." She makes up a quick excuse that she says lamely before she leaves the room. She shuts the room door behind her, hoping Derek gets the hint and doesn't follow her out.

But he doesn't listen, he gets out of bed and walks out of the room anyway.

Ash turns around when she hears his door open. She frowns at him but Derek just meets her eyes evenly because hell, it's his goddamn loft, it's his damn building. But his stubbornness isn't what dragged him out of bed, his concern for her is what got him up.

"What's going on with you?" Derek asks her.

"Nothing. Just..go back to bed." Ash says, pacing the living room.

Their voices cause Isaac to stir and wake up. He gets out of bed with a yawn, deciding to investigate the noise.

And when Isaac's room door opens, Jessie wakes up too. She sighs, and pulls herself out of bed as well, praying this isn't some freakishly early research session or something. Then again, she knows Ash stayed over so that is a possibility.

"Why aren't you sleeping?" Derek asks her.

"I..I am, just..I'm not tired." She says.

But he sees right through that as well.

"This is about Jacob, isn't it?" He asks her.

Isaac catches Jessie's arm before she walks down the stairs. He shakes his head at her, knowing it's best they don't reveal themselves when the two adults are on the cusp of a fight.

"Don't." Ash says.

"Why you even bother giving him the time of day-"

"I said, _don't_." Ash warns him, walking up to her, her face the perfect picture of a very angry girl who's about three seconds away from snapping.

Jessie and Isaac look at each other, unsure whether they should go back upstairs or go downstairs and try to help resolve this.

"Is it because you might still have feelings for him or something?" Derek asks her, her reaction to Jacob getting hurt really getting to the jealous werewolf.

"I don't have any feelings for him. I haven't for a long time." Ash says dangerously calm, because she's trying not to snap, she doesn't want to wake Isaac or Jessie. But neither of them realise they're both awake, and watching. "You know that."

"I'm starting to think that's not as true as you say it is."

Jessie cringes, knowing this is going to get loud and hurtful _very_ soon. Her and Isaac know they definitely shouldn't be watching..but they can't help themselves.

The alpha's teeth clench as he stands before her, his nostrils flared angerily. Ash stands before him, shorter in height, but no smaller in attitude or anger.

"You knew what you getting into with me!" Ash says. "You knew I had baggage!"

"Yeah? Well, I didn't expect you to still be in love with your ex boyfriend!" Derek shoots back.

A loud slap fills the loft and both teenagers cringe away from the sharpness of it, the perfect accuracy of it.

Derek's entire jaw tightens angerily as he inhales sharply and turns back to her with now glowing red eyes.

Jessie's eyes dart between the two of them, unsure what either of them plan to do now.

"Don't ever say that again." Ash warns him, the sting of his words clear of her face. "Asshole." She throws in for good measure before leaving the loft to go home to her own and sleep in her own bed, _alone_.

Jessie attempts to back up the stairs, because she knows Derek would be furious if he knew they'd watched that and-

 _Creak_

Jessie's eyes widen.

Derek's eyes snap up to them, an angry red seeking out both teenagers.

"Derek, I-" Jessie tries.

"Go to bed." He says.

"We-" Isaac tries too.

"Go." Derek says, trying to keep himself calm as well.

"Look, I'm sure she's just-" Jessie tries again.

" _Now_!" Derek snaps at them with a strict growl that makes Isaac duck his head and Jessie step back.

There's nothing after that. Jessie and Isaac scatter back to their rooms, realising it was wrong to evasdrop and watch something like that.

Ash is about to unlock her loft door and go inside but she knows she won't be able to sleep, especially not now. So, she continues down the stairs to where her car is parked, with a new plan in mind.

..

"Come on." She says to herself, her gloved hands trying to twist her wires and the resturant's camera wires together without damaging them. "Come on." She says, getting impatient when she still doesn't get anything on the moniter, only a dark, blank screen.

 _Beep_

"Bingo." Ash smiles to herself, the cameras all coming up on the screen now. She gets the keyboard and mouse and starts exporting the security tapes to go to her laptop's dropbox so she can go over them at home and get out of here before she gets caught.

 _Exporting 75%_

She taps her gloved fingers on the counter as she waits for it to come to 100%.

 _100% Export Completed_

She backtracks and starts covering up her footsteps in the system so it can't be traced back to her. She's about to shut it all back down so it's how she was when she got here but then something moves on one of the cameras.

Ash pauses, fearing she's been caught.

She turns around, but noones there.

Then a flash of a shadow in the hallway.

"Hello?" She calls out, fishing her boot knife out and bringing it up.

"A little early to be in town, don't you think?" A voice to her left says.

Ash spins around, seeing grey eyes and a wicked smirk. And all she can think is what Derek said earlier and how stupid she was to ignore that.

 _Don't go anywhere alone_

..

..

 **Shit is hitting the fan..sort of. I'm approaching this season's big bad a little differently, with more of a back story, a better motive, I think anyway. Trouble in paradise for one of our favourite couples..maybe some difficulties for the other couple too.. Favourite, follow and review!**


	46. Exacerbating Encounter

**Shout out to:**

 ***Serena Sterling: Yes, alot of things should have been listened to or shouldn't have happened. You're welcome and thanks!**

 ***Maxine Hale: Did you just scowl my fictional character? Hehe :P I partially agree with all that, apart from the smoking part, for my own personal reasons. But, to each their own opinion :) But, yes, she's about as reckless as Stiles is! She is trying her hardest though, but some things are going to come to light that are going to make this all worse too. Derek will be giving her his 2 cents about it all soon too! Scott will also have something to say that has some of your points too, about their family because she does need to get her crap together!**

 **..**

"You're what's killing people." Ash says, taking a step back from the man wearing the cocky smirk.

"Good guess." He says.

"How many of you are there? Why are you here?" Ash asks, her eyes darting around, trying to find another exit considering this man, or _whatever_ it is, is blocking the one she came in through.

"You really think I'd give up all my secrets to a human, just like that?" He chuckles. "Please, you must give my kind more credit than that." His smirks gets bigger and Ash watches in fear as another set of teeth lock over his human ones.

She looks at many long, _sharp_ fangs.

"A human I haven't even feed on, at that." He says around all his teeth.

"Vampire." Ash says to herself. Vampires were on the the 5 creatures they were guessing, Ash thought it was abit absurb but hell, she thought werewoles were too in the beginning, then Skinwalkers too. This doesn't shock her but it does surprise her.

"You sound surprised." He says, slowly stepping towards her, his teeth still out.

"Maybe I didn't think Vampires existed." She says, trying to keep the thing calm, trying not to provoke it into _snacking_ on her.

"You run with Werewolves, you've fought Kanimas and Skinwalkers, but Vampires is surprising to you?" He asks her.

Ash stiffens, unsure how he knew all of that.

"Please, Beacon Hills is _historical_ for the supernatural." He says. Then in the blink of an eye, he's gone. "You think other packs and nests wouldn't hear about it all?" He asks her, suddenly right beside her, brushing her hair behind her ear.

Ash slashes out with the knife, but it connects with nothing but air.

"Where are you?" She asks, looking around frantically in the dim lighting but seeing nothing.

"I'm everywhere." He says, but Ash can't tell where his voice is coming from, and she can't see him.

"Why did you attack Jacob?" Ash asks, very slowly and subtly making her way towards the exit that is now unblocked.

"A restaurant where the staff stay late and noone's around? Perfect opportunity, too perfect to pass up. I had to eat, get my strength up." He answers her simply. "Alot of things can go wrong in a kitchen." He chuckles, his laugh echoing off the walls.

"You made them look like accidents?" Ash asks, her voice shaking a little because she's growing more and more scared.

" _Animal attacks_ are so played out." He rolls his eyes, blocking her exit once again. "Besides.." He says, dragging his finger along the railing as he walks towards her.

Ash backs up, frantically searching for another way out.

"Accidents prove so little paperwork for our friends in the uniforms. You know, like what happened to your Grandfather." He says.

"What?" Ash asks, her face falling.

"Samuel? Your Grandfather? Oh, sweeite." He says with a little smile, touching his fingers to her cheek.

They're like ice and Ash wants to slap them away, but she fears for her life enough already.

"Your Grandfather didn't die of cancer." He tells her, brushing the back of his fingers down her cheek now, slowing over her pulse in her neck.

Ash is really trying to remain calm but her heart is jackhammering againist her chest in fear.

"What did you do to him?" Ash asks.

"To Jacob, or to Samuel?" He asks.

"What? What did you do _them_?" Ash asks.

The Vampire smirks and grabs her hand, squeezing it a little.

"You'll have to find out for yourself, we have company." He says.

Then a loud, _angry_ roar fills the establishment followed by more growls.

Ash has to duck and cover her head when the window behind her bursts, the glass shattering everywhere. She sinks to the ground, hiding herself away, feeling the cold hand disappear from her hand as well, leaving behind a burning sensation.

Derek goes after the Vampire, and Scott races over to Ash.

"Hey, it's me. It's okay, I've got you." Scott assures her when she panics upon being touched again.

Ash hides in his arms, her heart still pounding.

Derek chases after the Vampire, not able to keep up with him but able to follow his scent, his _dead rotting flesh_ smelling scent, one Derek can't really figure out.

But the Vampire's just playing with him, jumping up into trees and then swinging down above his head. It does nothing but fuel his anger.

"Wolfy, hey, Wolf Boy!" The Vampire calls from the treetops. "Over here!" He sing songs, over by the hill now.

His cackle echoes and Derek frowns, even angrier.

"Your kind think they can flush my nest out, kill them, let them die!" The Vampires says, angry now as well.

Derek frowns, because he doesn't know what the Vampire is talking about.

"We will be _reborn_." The Vampire says and then he's gone, along with his scent.

Derek skids to a stop, digging his Timberlands into the dirt. He looks around and focuses his hearing, but there's no signs of the Vampire anywhere. So, Derek does the only thing he can do, he makes his way back to Ash and Scott.

"Ah, it hurts." Ash cringes, pulling away from Scott.

Derek comes back into the room, looking over at her.

"What hurts?" Scott asks her.

"Ah!" Ash inhales sharply, the burning becoming a _searing_ pain on in the inside of her hand.

"Let me see it." Derek says, walking over to her. He's about to take her hand in his when Ash is forced to make a fist, the girl hissing in pain.

She manages to flex her fingers back open and the pain begins the dull down.

"Ash, what is this?" Derek asks her, seeing a ring marked, more _burned_ , into her hand. It looks like it was done with a cattle brand of something.

"I..I don't know." She says, looking at it as well, tears it her eyes because it stings alot.

"C'mon, let's just get you out of here." Scott says, lifting her to her feet.

..

"How did you know where to find me?" Ash asks, squeezing the icepack in her hand, pressing it againist her new mark.

"You weren't at the loft so we went looking." Derek says, glancing at her.

Ash keeps her eyes on her hand.

"I could hear your heart racing from half a block away." He says. "I knew you were in trouble."

Jessie and Isaac share an awkward look, because it's very obvious to them that their fight wasn't just an arguement and then make-up 5 minutes later sort of thing.

"What were you doing there in the first place?" Derek asks her. "At night? By yourself?" He lectures.

"Oh, I don't know, I couldn't exactly sleep." She sneers sarastically. "So I thought I'd try to help." She says, glaring at him.

"Well, good job with that, you almost got yourself killed." Derek says, pacing the living room area, because she scared the crap out of him. She wasn't at her loft, then she's panicking in an abandoned restuarant? _Not_ Derek's idea of relaxing.

The others stay quiet, letting him get out whatever he needs too because it's obvious he's more worried than anything.

"Yeah, it was a good job because I not only got the security footage but I know what it is that's hunting these people down and maybe even why." Ash shoots back without missing a beat, already sick of his attitude.

Then all eyes look over at her.

"It was a Vampire, and yes, I'm serious." She says before they can ask. "I don't have a motive yet but it won't take too much for me to find out."

"How do you know it was a Vampire?" Jessie asks her with a frown.

"Besides the fact it had about a million fangs and grey eyes? It told me." Ash says.

"So, you were just talking to this thing?" Derek asks her, his sour attitude clear in his voice.

Ash exhales through her nose and turns her head to look back over at him.

"Well, it was either talk and keep him calm or be eaten alive, so yeah, I was _talking_ to it." She shoots back.

"What else did it say to you? Why didn't it kill you, feed at least?" Peter asks her.

"I don't know." Ash answers. "But it didn't kill Jacob either, so something's going on."

"I think it's time we hit the books again." Stiles says.

"Yeah. Yeah, I think that's a good idea." Scott nods.

"Go ahead." Derek says, allowing them upstairs despite the _very_ late, well _early_ , hour of the morning.

The others go, but Scott stays seated by Ash.

"Maybe you should just head home, you look beat." Scott says to her.

"Yeah, I have to go through the security footage anyway." Ash nods, getting to her feet. "And I should bath Jade and wash her onesies too. I'm sure she's got t-shirts covered in food that need washing as well."

"Sleep, Ash. I meant _sleep_." Scott says. "I can do all of that tomorrow."

"I don't need sleep." She says, putting the icepack into his hand and walking out of the loft, not even throwing Derek a glance in farewell.

"You wanna say goodbye to- Never mind." Scott says when the front door shuts and Ash ignores him.

Scott turns around and looks at Derek who just watched her walk away and did nothing.

"Something I need to know?" Scott asks, turning to face the alpha now. It's more than clear that they're not the happy pair they usually are. And Scott knows his sister, he knows she's pissed off, she is right now, and Derek's got something to do with it.

"No." Derek says. "It's nothing."

"That didn't look or sound like nothing." Scott points out. "What did you do to her?"

"Either help them research or go home, Scott." Derek says before walking away from him too.

Scott sighs and makes his way to the kitchen to put the icepack back in the freezer before he goes upstairs to the library too.

..

Ash finally manages to get to sleep as the sun's coming up. The security footage didn't provide her with any information she didn't already know after having a 'one on one' with the Vampire. All she really saw were 5 innocent people fed on and murdered. It wasn't pleasant, not at all.

But, her slumber is short lived because she feels someone brush her hair back behind her ear, the cool morning air brushing againist her neck.

"Go away, Derek." She says without opening her eyes, nudging the hand away with her shoulder. She knows it's him, noone else would be doing this. And she's not happy with him _at all_ , he doesn't get to just come here and touch her, no, no way, he's in the damn dogbox.

But the hand touches her again. The touch is cool, cooler than the morning air.

"Jesus, Derek, _go away_." She says, getting annoyed now as it keeps touching her.

The hand creeps up her neck and the touch is like ice, making her eyes open.

"I said-" She gasps, seeing it's not Derek, it's the Vampire. "SCOT-" She tries to scream but that hand closes over her mouth, keeping her quiet.

She claws at the hand, trying to get free.

"Shhh." The Vampire hushes her softly, bringing his finger on his other hand to his lips. "It's all gonna be okay. Shhh."

In Ash's struggle, she notices the Vampire has the exact same marking on the inside of his hand that she does, _exact_ , like a photocopy or something. The only difference is, his is a very dull grey colour, where her's is a scarred pink, it's fresh.

Ash tries to scream againist the hand but she feels like she can't even breathe.

"This will only pinch a little." He whispers in her ear, his breath fanning over her neck.

But Derek is over at the loft, he's downstairs talking to Scott. They're planning to do a border run, try and find where this thing is holed up.

Derek's head snaps up to the stairs.

"What is it?" Scott asks him.

"It's Ash." He says, hearing her heart racing like he did in the early hours of this morning. He bolts for the stairs, knowing something's wrong.

Scott hears it too, and goes straight after him.

By the time they get to her room, she's gasping for breath and the Vampire is gone.

Scott races to her side again and Derek inhales, smelling a faint trace of that rotting flesh again.

"It was here." Derek growls angerily, going over to the window in hopes to catch a better scent or spot him. But, of course, nothing, _nada_.

"Ash, c'mon, calm down." Scott coaxes as she still panics, almost hyperventilating. "He's gone, you're okay, please."

She tries to, but her chest feels like a vice, and she was just _so scared_. Staying with Derek meant she was always safe, at least she always _felt_ safe. It's so much different when she's alone, the nightmares are worse, everything is _worse_ without him by her side.

"Derek, go into her bag, get the inhaler." Scott tells the alpha without looking away from Ash.

Ash shakes her head, because she hasn't needed it in over a month and she's embarassed that she does need to use it sometimes.

"No, you need it." Scott says, taking it from Derek's hand as he holds it out to him. "Here." He says, putting it to her mouth.

Ash shakes her head again, trying to breath in and out on her own.

"Ash, _please_." Scott begs her.

She can't object, she lets it pass her lips and Scott presses down on it. Relief fills her as her lungs and throat are opened up and it feels like she was drowning but finally clawed her way to the surface again.

This might be one of the most painful things Derek's ever had to watch. _One_ of them.

"It's okay." Scott says, throwing the inhaler on her bed and taking the girl into his arms.

Ash hides her face in his shoulder as she takes shaky but steady breaths, her face returning to a safe colour and her hands slowly start to stop shaking.

"I'm here, you're safe now." Scott tells her.

And Derek's face falls, an odd feeling in his chest arises, because that's what he tells Ash. _He_ is supposed to be keeping Ash safe, he _promised_ Scott he would. Ash has been encountered twice by that Vampire in the past day and he hasn't done enough to stop it or prevent it from happening again.

"Did it hurt you? Did it bite you and try to feed?" Scott asks her in a quiet voice.

Ash shakes her head, staying close to him.

Scott looks over at Derek, because then why the hell was it here?

Derek doesn't have an answer to his silent question, only more questions of his own and a _very_ bad feeling.

"Is it gonna k-kill me?" Ash asks, her voice showing her fear.

"No. No, I promise." Scott swears. "You're gonna be okay, Ash."

Ash just nods againist his neck, still sniffing back her frightened tears.

Scott looks over at Derek again with a hurt look.

Derek meets his eyes, giving him a promising nod.

Because this thing is going to _die_.

Derek can't ignore how _wrong_ he feels as he just _watches_ Ash breaking down and crying, clinging to Scott, the smell of fear all around her.

He feels..guilty.

Whether they're on good terms or not, Derek's doing something about this.

..

Stiles wakes up when Jessie sudden shoots up in bed.

"Hey, Jess? You ok-" He goes to ask.

But the girl flies out of bed and into the bathroom.

Stiles goes after her, running into the room in time for her to throw up into the toilet. He kneels down beside her, pulling her hair out of her face and gently rubbing her back.

"You okay, babe?" He asks her with a concerned frown.

"I don't know." Jessie says. "I think so." She says.

They sit there for a few minutes, just to make sure Jessie's done.

"Okay, I think I'm okay now." She says.

Stiles helps her back to her feet and flushes the toilet for her.

Jessie takes her toothbrush and squeezes a generous helping of toothpaste onto it before brushing her teeth.

Stiles brings her a glass of water.

Jessie leans againist his shoulder as they walk back to the bedroom.

"You don't look too well, Jess. Maybe you should spend the day in bed." Stiles suggests, putting her water on the bedside table on her side of the bed.

"No, I can't, I have to help." Jessie says, shaking her head.

"No, you need to get some rest and get past this stomach bug or whatever it is." Stiles corrects. "And you know when Derek comes back, he's going to say the exact same thing." He says, both of them knowing he's right.

Jessie sighs and nods reluctantly, because she feels really tired as well, her body dully aches too.

"Here, c'mon." Stiles says, walking up to her. He unzips her fly and hooks his fingers into her jeans that she fell asleep in and pulls them down. "Put these on." He says, handing her some pajama pants.

Jessie obides, kicking off her jeans and getting into her loose, comfy pajama pants.

Stiles lifts her t-shirt off as well, and then pulls his jumper off over his head.

Jessie smiles softly when Stiles holds his large hoodie out to her, because he knows how much she loves them. She pulls the hoodie on over her bare torso, feeling much better in these clothes already.

"Get in bed, I'm gonna make you something to eat, something that won't make your stomach upset." Stiles says, pulling back the covers and guiding her back into bed.

"I love you, so much." Jessie says, because Stiles is being so unbelievably sweet and taking care of her like she's his Princess or something.

To Stiles though, Jessie is his _Queen_.

So, he just smiles and kisses her forehead, draping the blankets back over her before he heads dowstairs to the kitchen.

He files through the cupboards, deciding on toast and some cut up banana because it's supposed to be soothing for the stomach. But he knows Jessie, she eats more than that. She eats more than you'd think her stomach could handle, just like Stiles does. So, to be on the safe side, he decides to put a helping of crackers on the plate as well.

Derek comes back into his loft, still frowning. He comes into the kitchen, giving Stiles a nod in greeting because, as much as Derek hates to admit it, Stiles is here so often that Derek's used to it and doesn't mind too much anymore.

"You okay there, big guy?" Stiles asks, glancing at the alpha as he arranges the foods on the plate.

"Yeah." Derek mutters, leaning againist the counter.

"Yeah? Because you look the opposite." Stiles says. He's gotten bolder with Derek, it comes with the territory of dating Jessie, I guess.

Derek just looks at Stiles and then away again, not giving him an answer.

"Okay, fine, bottle it up then." Stiles shrugs.

Derek rolls his eyes.

Stiles digs through the cupboard again then looks in the fridge.

"Do you have any coconut water?" Stiles asks, turning to Derek when he doesn't find it in the cupboards, pantry or fridge.

Derek looks at the young boy with a screwed up face, like the question offended him, like a werewolf having _coconut water_ , whatever the hell that is, is just the stupidest thing he's ever heard.

"No, Stiles, I don't have any coconut water." He says.

"What about tea?" Stiles asks. "Do you have tea? C'mon, _everyone_ has tea."

"Yeah, in there." Derek points it out.

Stiles nods and looks in the drawer, finding some herbal tea. He boils the kettle and make a cup of it for Jessie for her to have with her breakfast. And he only burns himself twice which is a personal best.

Derek surveys the foods on the plate Stiles was preparing and frowns.

"What are you doing?" Derek asks.

Stiles takes the cup over to the plate before looking up at the older man.

"Jessie's sick, a stomach bug or something." Stiles explains. "I'm making her breakfast."

Derek just looks at him and God, he can tell Stiles is _so_ in love with his younger sister.

"I'll be up to check on her soon." Derek tells him.

"Okay." Stiles nods.

Derek watches the young man leave with the plate of oddly bland foods and the cup of herbal tea that Derek's wolf nose can determine as some kind of citrus tea, probably lemon. If Stiles knows Jessie as well as he seems too, he would bring her lemon tea, because she loves it.

Derek sighs, because he knows Stiles is up there taking care of Jessie, making her tea, making sure she's fed and warm and feeling okay, and Derek should be doing the same for Ash. But he messed that up a little bit, didn't he?

Derek knows if he tried to go across the hall and do something like that for Ash it'd end either two ways, her yelling and throwing abusive words at him until he left, or her boot knife is his hand. He doesn't favour either option. But he's not going to apologise because..well..the words just came out, because it's how he feels. He was, as much as he hates to admit this too, jealous. He was _jealous_.

So, he just goes over to the stairs, going up to check on Jessie like he said he would.

..

Ash sits on the sofa, a blanket over her lap with her laptop out too. She orginally sat down to do some research on Vampires, but her fingers have led her astray.

She sighs heavily, making Scott look over at her from where he's sitting at the dining table, watching over both her and Jade. Scott doesn't plan to leave Ash alone again, so either he or another wolf is to be with her at all times. Ash is a _little_ sour about that too.

"You okay?" Scott asks her, peeling his orange with his fingers.

"Yeah, I'm fine." Ash answers, looking at that same '(0) No Results Found' that she looked at months ago.

Erica and Boyd are still nowhere in sight, nowhere to be found.

Ash lets it go though, because she can't really do anything else.

Once again, she's about to start her own research on Vampires when she's led astray for a second time.

 _You know, like what happened to your Grandfather_

The words echo in her head and make her mad, and upset at the same time.

Ash loved her Grandfather, and her Grandmother. She wishes her Grandfather was still here, he filled in for Rafael and helped Melissa far more than anyone realises. Not just with money, or babysitting, but he loved the McCall children as well, he made them feel special and wanted and _loved_. Rafael could never do that.

So, Ash finds herself looking into medical records.

She hacks into Beacon Hills Memorial's database and start searching for 'McCall'. Ash doesn't realise her mistake until her Mom's name is staring back at her. Ash averts her eyes, seeking out 'Samuel'. She finds it and clicks on it, bringing up his file.

Ash is quiet as she reads his file. Like she was told, his cause of death is written as stage 4 lung cancer.

But something isn't right.

There's no trace of a biopsy or blood test, there's nothing saying how they actually found and diagnosed the cancer.

There's nothing about chemo or any clinical treatments.

There's nothing.

And that is _definitely_ suspicious to the girl thinking maybe it all happened a different way.

 _Your Grandfather didn't die of cancer_

The Vampire's other words echo in Ash's head too and her frown deepens.

If the medical records are a lie, most probably the Vampire's doing as he seems to know more about it than anyone, Ash needs to dig deeper than a file.

Her biggest help would have been either her Grandmother, or her own mother, God rest both of their souls because neither are here to help Ash.

Ash thinks of going to her Aunt Hailey, but Hailey wasn't around like Melissa was, her and Jeff were travelling, living their own lives.

Then Ash's face falls as realisation dawns on her.

There's only one other person that was around like Melissa was back in the earlier days.

And they might be the only person that can help Ash find the truth.

..

..

 **Okay, can I just say, I've always been a Dashlee shipper the most, but this chapter was all Stessie and it was actually very cute, I think! Ash is** _ **very**_ **hungry for the truth! But what is going on with her and the Vampire? Favourite, follow and review!**

 **P.S. How many of you use Archieve Of Our Own/AO3? I was thinking of posting this story to that site but with a few** _ **little**_ **changes in it. So, yes or no, do you or don't you? Thanks! :)**


	47. Goodnight

**Shout out to:**

 ***Serena Sterling: Yay, I'm glad you like them! I like Vampires, because there's** _ **so**_ **much lore on them and you can swing it any way you want! The mark..well..that's a secret ;) And Jessie? Well, maybe that's a secret too :P You're welcome and thanks!**

 ***AlphaWolf19: Oh, my God! You logged in, yay! :) That's fine, I'm still unsure about AO3. Yes, Supernatural is a good seris! Yes, their fighting is silly but it happens! But, yes, jealously is a bitch! Yes, I think they will be different from my other fic, or maybe not, I'm still deciding as I write it :P Let me know when they're up and I'll read them :) They both sound good! As I said to Serena, that might be a secret too, because maybe she's just sick, or maybe she's** _ **sick**_ **sick like a disease or virus, you know? Thanks and here's the update!**

 ***TheHungryRainbow: Yay :) Hehe, all will be revealed, in time!**

 ***Maxine Hale: Hehe, scowling time :P She is, she's going a** _ **little**_ **loopy, just a tiny bit, because there's too much going on! Creepy Vampire is just..a creepy Vampire with a plan :P Yes, of course, I don't know when, but there will be!**

 **..**

"Ash, we should just go home. This is nuts." Isaac says, looking at the determined girl in the driver's seat of her Camaro.

"I'm doing this. You can go back if you want." Ash says, looking out the windshield at the large, _barred_ building.

"Scott would kill me if I went back without you." Isaac sighs, because part of being on 'Ash watch' is to stick with her, watch over her.

"Then come on, because we're going inside." Ash says before getting out of the car.

..

"McCall, to your feet." The guard barks. "You have a visitor."

"Is it Danielle?" Rafael asks, him and his orange prison jumpsuit standing up.

Rafael and Danielle have been continuing their relationship despite the circumstances. But with work, Danielle doesn't get to visit him very often.

"I don't know, they didn't say. Follow me." The guard directs.

Rafael obides, hoping to see the blonde in the visitor's room.

But who Rafael is sat down at the steel table with, his hands still handcuffed..is the _last_ person he expected to ever step foot in this place.

It's quiet for a moment as he just looks at her blue eyes then at the scarred over wounds he left on her face. Part of him feels guilty, a very small part.

"I never thought I'd see you on the other side of this table." Rafael says, looking at his eldest child.

"What do you know about Granddad's death?" Ash asks him, skipping the pleasantries, because her scars on her face that he put there ache as she looks at him.

"What? Samuel's death? Why would you ask me about that?" Rafael asks, already confused.

"Just answer the question." Ash enforces. "What do you know?" She repeats.

"That it was lung cancer. Stage 4, I think. He held out for as long as he could." He answers her, because even if it is strange, she did come all this way and request to be near him, even after what he did to her.

"Where were his biopsies done? His blood tests?" Ash asks.

Rafael frowns, shaking his head, because he doesn't understand.

"Who diagnosed him?" Ash asks another question when she doesn't get an answer to the other two.

"Ash..what is this?" Rafael asks.

" _Answer the question_." Ash bites out, keeping her voice low enough as to not attract the guard's attention.

"I don't know, really." Rafael says. "Your mother usually dealt with him, he was her Dad, not mine." He says.

"So, you're saying the only way to learn more would have been through Mom?" Ash asks.

"Yeah, I mean..I guess. Ash, what's going on?" He asks, because these questions..they're providing him with the opposite of comfort.

Ash just exhales in defeat, rubbing both her hands down her face.

"Ash? What's going on?" Rafael asks her again.

"You wouldn't understand." Ash says, grabbing her jacket, getting ready to stand up and leave.

Rafael's hand snakes out and catches her wrist, to which Ash rips away from, a scowl coming to her face.

Rafael realises his mistake and raises his hands in surrender before putting them back down on the table.

"What exactly are you trying to dig up, Ash?" He asks her, curious, because Ash didn't come all the way here and ask those sorts of questions for no reason. No, even Rafael knows Ash is _much_ smarter than that.

"The truth." She says.

"The truth is just that. Your mother's father died of lung cancer." Rafael says, not understanding why Ash seem to insist otherwise, why she's trying to prove otherwise. "I'm sorry, but that's it, that's all it was."

"No, he didn't." Ash shakes her head. "Keep your head down, Raf." She says before standing up and walking over to the exit leaving Rafael wearing a baffled frown.

Ash leaves the building, Isaac in tow from where he was sitting in the waiting area, waiting for her to come back out.

"Ash, what's going on? Why are we here?" Isaac asks her.

"Stop asking questions, Isaac." Ash says, fishing her car keys from her purse.

"Ash, just stop." Isaac says, stepping in front of her.

Ash stops, because he's right in her way.

"He..he really hurt you. Why would you visit him?" Isaac asks, because he doesn't understand either.

Ash just shakes her head and walks around him, going over to her car.

But she slows to a pause, because there's a shiny black Camaro parked right behind her car so she can't back up, and the stubbled owner leaning againist it with his arms crossed over his chest.

Like Derek said, whether they're on good terms or not, he's going to do _something_. And that something was following her and Isaac, keeping an extra eye out, just in case.

"Move your car." Ash says to Derek without looking at him as she unlocks her driver's door, all the other doors unlocking at the same time.

"What are you doing here?" Derek asks, walking over to her instead of moving his car like she _politely_ requested.

Ash tries to ignore him and get into her car, but Derek catches her door, stopping her.

"What the hell are you doing here?" He asks her again, very quickly losing his patience.

"Saying hi to my father, what are _you_ doing here?" She answers, her own voice bitter.

Isaac's eyes flicker between them from the other side of the car, unsure what to do like he and Jessie were the other night.

"Don't lie to me." Derek says.

"Or what, Derek? What are you gonna do? Accuse me of screwing my ex behind your back, this time?" She asks him, getting mad.

Derek k-nines threaten to come out at even the _thought_ of that. Even if Derek himself isn't exclusively dating Ash, his wolf has long claimed the girl as his own.

"Get out of my way." Ash says. "Move your car, before I move it for you." She threatens, because she's not in the mood to play these stupid games.

"Get home, or I'll drag you home myself." He threatens her back.

Ash swallows, because she doesn't think he was kidding. And she's talking the whole kicking and screaming as he carries her over his shoulder.

Derek looks over at Isaac.

Isaac thinks maybe he'll be getting a scowling as well. But he's wrong.

Derek gives him a single nod, because he's thankful his beta is looking after Ash. Yes, he's sour Isaac allowed Ash to come here, but he knows he also couldn't stop her either. And Ash is smart, it's why she came here now with Isaac, because she knows all this.

Derek goes over to his Camaro and moves out of the way, peeling out of the carpark.

Ash sighs and backs out, pulling out onto the road as well, at a much more _legal_ speed compared to what Derek was doing.

"Have you and Derek broken up?" Isaac asks her.

Ash glances over at the beta, finding he's already looking at her, waiting for an answer.

"We were never dating." Is all Ash gives as an answer because she doesn't know what's going to happen between her and Derek now.

..

"What are we doing here? Derek said we had to go home." Isaac says when Ash pulls into the parking lot of Beacon Hills Memorial.

"This is my last stop, then we can go home." Ash says, putting the car in park and turning off the ignition.

"Ash, can you please tell me what the hell's going on?" Isaac asks her, because her behaviour is sort of starting to scare him.

"I need you to wait in the car for this one." She says.

"No way-"

"Isaac, you _need_ to stay here." Ash says firmly. "This is personal. If I find out you've left this car, you'll have alot bigger problems than just Derek, alright?" She warns him.

Isaac sighs heavily and nods.

"If you get in _any_ trouble, yell out, I'll come running." Isaac says.

"Thank you." Ash says, kissing his head in thanks.

It's surprising to Isaac, as he hasn't really had many head kisses in his life, but it makes him feel warm. Ash has slowly become an older authoritive figure in all the teens' lives, like an older sister.

Ash gets out of the car and starts walking towards the hospital doors. She still avoids people's eyes, not wanting anyone to spot her and try to talk to her or make sure she's still coping after her Mom's death.

There's one place she needs to go, because the Vampire dragged him into it as well.

..

Ash watches from the chair as Jacob slowly wakes up.

"Hey." She says, moving closer to his bed.

Jacob turns his head towards her.

"How are you feeling?" She asks him.

Something flickers in Jacob's eyes that makes Ash's stomach twist.

He flings up in the bed and hisses at her, his teeth becoming fangs and Ash panics.

The Vampire did more alot more than almost kill him. He _turned_ Jacob.

Ash's stomach twists even more, because Jacob is no longer _Jacob_ , he's..he's a monster.

Ash throws her hands up in an effort to protect herself. But Jacob doesn't attack, in fact, he backs down.

Ash is beyond confused but she's terrified so she isn't stopping to ask questions.

Jacob looks at her hand before his eyes meet her's, a large red ring around both his irises.

Ash is scared to a frozen state, unsure what to do, too scared to move or scream for help. She looks at his hand that's raised, ready to hurt her, and he has the same mark that she and the Vampire have too, his is somewhere between a grey and a pink, like muddy water.

Footsteps approach agilely, quick as the speed of light, and Jacob bolts out the window, swinging out in a fluid motion.

Ash rushes over to the window, thinking she's going to see him splattered along the ground, but she doesn't. She sees him swing his way down to the ground before taking off towards the woods.

Another pair of eyes meet her's from the treeline, that wicked smirk as well.

Ash steps back, so the grey eyes can no longer see her.

She almost jumps out of her skin when she backs into something.

"It's me, it's okay." Derek says when she spins around, her heart in her throat.

Ash looks back over at the window but both Jacob and the unknown Vampire that seems to appear everywhere are gone. She looks back at Derek, confused about what just happened.

"Did he hurt you?" Derek asks, starting to check her over, her neck and arms practicularly.

"N-no." Ash shakes her head. "He..he was going to but..h-he just didn't." She says.

Derek slows to a pause, looking back at her face, her _scared_ face, because that doesn't sound right.

"What do you mean he didn't, Ash?" He asks her.

"I-I don't know." She says in a shaky voice.

The alpha puts his hands on her shoulders.

"You have to _stop_. Whatever you're trying to do, you need to stop, before you get hurt." He says to her.

Ash steps back, his hands dropping back to his side.

"You don't get it." She says.

"Then help me understand." Derek says.

"He turned Jacob, Derek." Ash says. "He's..he's not just killing people, he's turning them."

Derek looks between Ash and the window, wondering if he should go after Jacob or stay and make sure Ash gets home safety. He can't help but go with the latter.

"Finish telling me on the way home. Isaac will bring your car home-"

"No!" Ash objects.

"Yes." Derek says.

"I'm not going anywhere with you." Ash shakes her head, because she's still hurt about their fight. She thinks she may be falling for Derek but all he sees is her still loving Jacob. It's not true. It's not true, and it hurts that Derek thinks it is true.

"This is so much more than us having a stupid fight, Ash." He says. "This is your life, and you're so ready to throw it away, and for what?"

"My Grandfather." Ash answers him.

"What are you talking about?" Derek asks her.

"It's none of your business." She says, pushing past him to walk out of the room.

"Ash." He says, grabbing her arm.

He backs her into the wall, stopping her from escaping him this time.

Ash backs away as much as she can but she's trapped between the wolf and the wall.

"Get off me." She says, a frown darkening her face.

"Why are you doing this?" Derek asks her with a frown of his own, backing up a little because he doesn't want to scare her or bring back any dark memories for her. But she's being so reckless. She's going to get herself killed if she goes on like this, and Derek doesn't understand why.

"I told you, it's none of your business-"

Derek cuts her off, slamming his hands againist the wall behind her, leaving dents in the plaster. Ash blinks, but she doesn't flinch, because she knows Derek would never hurt her.

"I don't know why, but you've stopped caring about what happens to you. But you know who does care? _Me_." He says to her, locking green eyes with blue eyes. "You _are_ going to get hurt if you keep putting yourself in front of this thing. Stop. Just.. _stop_." He says.

One of his hands fall from the wall, his finger brushing her cheek gently.

"Please, just stop being so reckless." He says, quieter than before.

Ash has no words. She just breathes in and out, looking at him, feeling his warmth as he touches her face.

"I don't know what I'd do if I saw you get so hurt again." He says, leaning closer to her so their noses touch.

Ash can't breath now, frozen on her spot.

"Please, Ash, I don't wanna lose you too." He says.

And there's so much sincerity in his voice, and he's so _close_ to her, that she can't stay still anymore. She needs to get _away_.

She pulls away from him, side-stepping before his lips can touch her's. She doesn't even spare him a glance, she just leaves the room, making her way to her car as fast as she can.

Isaac frowns when she gets back in the car, because her cheeks are flushed red but there's a trace of tears in her eyes too.

"Ash?" He calls out to her as she peels out of the parking lot.

But he doesn't get any response this time.

..

"You're miserable." Jessie comments, watching as Derek does his _millionth_ set of pull-ups.

The alpha ignores her, trying to focus on his workout and not Ash's face, or her laugh, or how it feels to rake his hand through her silky hair, or how it feels when she sleeps on his chest, or how she smells of Malboro cigarettes and lavender, or how beautiful she is when she smiles.

A few months ago, he may have thrown up at how sappy that all sounds. But it's _different_ with Ash, it's alot different. He can't even describe it.

He shakes those thoughts away and pulls himself back up again, a little higher than the last time.

Jessie just sighs and watches.

Up.

Down.

Up.

Down.

 _Up_.

 _Down_.

Until she can't anymore.

"Why don't you just go over there and apologise?" Jessie asks him.

Derek drops from the bar and down to his feet, his angry frown turning to his sister now.

"Why don't you butt the hell out of it?" He asks her harshly.

Jessie, since she's been feeling sick, her attitude has shot through the roof. So, what spills from her mouth next isn't _exactly_ her fault, she's blaming the stomach bug.

"Why don't you man the hell up and _do_ something about this?" She asks him, her voice already getting louder than his. "What you said to her, you were out of line, that was horrible! Of course she doesn't love him anymore, why would she when she's with you? It doesn't even matter if he cheated on her or not, that's in the past. How could you think so little of her to say that she was just with you for the _kicks_? It's obvious she's crazy about _you_ , you idiot! How would you feel if she has said that to you, huh? Get your _shit_ together, Derek." She lectures.

"You..you're both just being childish!" She bellows before storming away from him and back up to the bathroom because she feels nausea rearing it's ugly head again.

Derek just stands there, his angry frown has turned more into a disappointed one. He didn't expect all of that to come out of Jessie's mouth, especially not in his direction. But, the moody girl does have a point.

Derek sighs.

But he just catches the bar again, pulling himself back up.

..

"Ash?" Jessie says, knocking on the open balcony door lightly.

Ash turns to Jessie, quickly wiping her eyes and sniffing.

"You okay?" Jessie asks, walking out onto the McCall's balcony.

"Yeah. Yeah, of course." Ash nods, trying to look and sound convincing. "What's up?"

"I just wanted to check on you, I haven't seen much of you lately." Jessie says, sitting down on the other deck chair.

"Yeah, uh..Derek and I are.." Ash tries to come up with a lie.

"I know. Isaac and I were awake, we heard." Jessie tells her.

Ash nods and sighs gently, a little embarassed.

"I'm sorry he said those things."

"No, I mean..I guess I deserved it, you know?" Ash says, looking at the younger girl now. "Jacob just..he was such a big part of my life, I just couldn't pretend his situation didn't bother me. Because it did, I was worried about him. But..but I would never, _ever_ go back to him. I mean, you know that, right?" Ash asks her.

"I know." Jessie nods, because she does. "Derek told the pack what the Vampire did to him."

"Yeah, it.." Ash chuckles nervously. "I went to check on him and..I didn't expect that."

"Noone did." Jessie says. "But I get it, Ash. You loved him, it's going to take a minute for you to get past all of this, him being back, him getting hurt, him getting _turned_."

"He doesn't deserve a minute." Ash says. Then she sighs, because she should have realised that the second he opend his mouth in that coffee store. "I just.." The girl exhales shakily, looking down in her lap.

Jessie watches her, seeing her slowly unravel and become upset.

"I don't wanna lose Derek because of this. Out of _everything_ that's happened, not _this_ , not because of Jacob." Ash says, tears shining in her eyes.

"It's okay, Ash. I _talked_ to him, he knows the truth." Jessie assures her. "But this is on _you_ as well, you _need_ to talk to him." She says.

"I.." Ash sighs.

"You two may act it sometimes, but you're not stupid. Don't throw away what you have because of a fight." Jessie says. She chose to be stern with Derek, because that's the only way to get through to him when he's like that, Jessie knows her brother well. But getting mad at Ash and yelling would only make things worse. And maybe, _maybe_ , Jessie's attitude and hormones are all over the place so one minute she's harsh, the next she's nurturing and soft.

"Oh, God." Ash sighs, covering her eyes with her hand and looking into her lap again before a tear spills down her face. She quickly scrubs it away. "I'm sorry." She says to Jessie, wiping both her eyes with her hands.

"It's okay." Jessie says. She puts her hand on Ash's back and rubs it softly. "You really care about Derek, don't you?" She asks the older female.

Ash nods, hiccuping a little bit but trying to hide how upset she really is over _all_ of this.

Peter looks at Derek but the alpha pays him no attention, he just looks at Ash with sad eyes. Maybe Ash pulled away today, but it's obvious she still has feelings for the alpha, she's just struggling with them and everything going on at the same time.

"I have to go." Derek says, abandoning the McCall loft instead of finding Scott and talking to him like the two Hales planned.

Peter doesn't stop him, he just watches Derek leave. He waits until he's out of sight before making his presence obvious by walking through the loft louder than necessary.

Ash and Jessie hear, both making out they were just chatting, having a normal conversation.

"I'm looking for Scott, everything okay out here?" Peter asks, looking between the two girls like he's clueless to their situation, which he isn't.

"Yeah, everything's fine." Jessie answers for Ash, because the older girl has a shake to her voice in her upset state. "I think Scott went into town with Stiles, I'll send them back to the house when they're back."

"Okay." Peter nods. He glances at Ash once more before leaving the loft again.

"Thanks." Ash says, looking at Jessie.

"Anytime." Jessie smiles. The younger girl then puts a hand to her stomach, looking like the wind's been knocked out of her.

"Hey, you okay, Jess?" Ash asks, instantly worried about her now.

"Uh..yeah." Jessie nods, feeling the nausea slowly fade away again. "I just, I haven't been feeling very well lately."

"Maybe you should see a doctor?" Ash suggests.

"I said I feel sick, I'm not dying." Jessie says with a chuckle. And Ash laughs too, because that's the _exact_ kind of answer Ash would give.

..

Later on, when the sun has long set, Ash yawns as she walks into her room, flickering her lamp on.

She goes over to her drawers, pulling out a large tee, one she's sure she stole from Scott at one time or another.

She takes off the clothes she wore during the day and slips into the t-shirt before making her way over to her bed.

She stops, spotting _something_ on her bed.

She slowly walks over to it, her eyes narrowed.

But, when she gets over to it, she relaxes, her frown softening. Because she knows that the bundle of lavender tied off with a neat bow isn't anything threatening from a Vampire. And she knows exactly who put them there as well, she knows because they're on _his_ side of her bed.

Ash exhales softly and sits down on her bed. She takes the lavender into her hands and brings it to her nose, smelling it. She can't help how satisfying the smell is, she loves it. And he knows that.

Ash finds there's something else under the boquet. She actually lets out a laugh as she picks up the new, unopened pack of Malboro cigarettes.

Yeah, she knows _exactly_ who put these here.

The same wolf that loves smelling both of those things on her.

 _Derek_.

"Goodnight, Derek." She says quietly, more to herself.

The alpha smiles a little, happy enough with that.

"Goodnight, Ash." He says just as quiet before he jumps down the fire escape, going back to his own loft without the girl noticing he was ever there.

..

..

 **Ash is getting hungrier and hungrier for this truth about her Grandfather! A little bit of Dash in there to soothe your souls :3 And I'm interested to know, how do** _ **you**_ **all think this is going to go? Favourite, follow and review!**


	48. True Or False

**I hope everyone has fun tonight for New Years (I know I will be :P), or tomorrow, depending on where you live and timezones etc! But Happy New Year anyway, I hope 2016 brings everyone joy and happiness and maybe even some new beginnings!**

 **Shout out to:**

 ***Serena Sterling: She is! They're slowly making up, just being stubborn and the like :) You're welcome and thanks!**

 ***AlphaWolf19: I'm glad :3 I think it's OTP, I don't know what it stands for though, hehe. But, I will take that as a compliment! Yes, Jessie is playing referee :) Hehe, you have so many questions, that I can't answer, sorry! As for your question about detail and dialouge, I don't think there's a balance, some might say 50/50, some might say different. But, I think if you can't see the setting in your head, if you can't see your characters and OCs talking and how their body language is or how their faces move with different emotions, then you need more detail. That's just what I think anyway :) You should be able to picture the entire thing in your mind because that's the magic of reading, that's why reading is more complex than a film, because** _ **you**_ **have your own picture,** _ **you**_ **interrupt differently than someone else, but that's the beauty of it all! You see it the way you want too, from the way you interrupt the words :) I hope that helped! As for Jacob, I can't actually decide for myself if I like him. I like the conflict his character brings, whether intentional or not, but I don't know if I like** _ **him**_ **. Season 2, whoa you have a long why to come but it's a good journey so don't worry how far behind you are! I've actually only started to watch season 11 now, I'm half a year or so behind as well :P**

 **..**

Scott knocks on Ash's door but recieves no response. As expected, she's still sleeping.

So, Scott walks into her room. The first thing he notices, beside the girl still fast asleep because she hasn't been able to sleep probably for awhile, is the potent smell of lavender.

Scott walks over to her bedside table, where the bundle of lavender sits, where the intense smell is coming from.

That's when Scott picks up another scent on the flowers, a wolf's scent, a _man_ 's scent.

Derek.

Scott smiles a little, because despite his objection in the beginning, he knows Derek makes Ash happy. And that's all Scott's ever wanted for his big sister.

The next thing Scott's eyes notice is the bag on the floor. The _familiar_ sports bag that looks like it's seen some wear and tear already.

And Scott can smell the same scent on the bag and the clothes inside it too, just stronger.

It's Derek's bag, it's Derek's clothes, because he's been staying over more and more lately. Well, not _lately_ , even Scott can see there's been a break in their 'not-relationship'.

Scott decides he should stop snooping around and wake Ash up like he came in here to do.

"Hey." Scott says, shaking her shoulder gently. "Ash, wake up."

She stirs awake, opening her eyes with a jolt, because the last time she was woken with a touch, a Vampire stood over her.

"Oh, it's just you." She sighs in relief.

"Yeah, it's just me. I told you, Ash, you're safe while I'm here." Scott says.

Ash nods and pulls herself to sit up.

Scott holds his hand out and Ash puts her's into his. Scott turns her hand over so the inside is facing upwards. Scott gently traces his finger along the ring in her hand.

Ash looks from her hand up to Scott's eyes, she can see the concern shining in them.

"Scott, it's okay, it doesn't hurt anymore." She assures him.

"What about Granddad is so important?" Scott asks, looking up to meet her eyes.

"Derek told you?" Ash guesses.

"He didn't have a choice." Scott says. "He's really worried about you." He says.

Ash pulls her hand out of Scott's and makes a tight fist in her lap.

"Noone will tell me what happened but I know something happened between you and him." Scott says.

"Yeah, I don't want to talk about that." Ash says, shoving her comforter off her body and getting to her feet.

"Well, neither do I, it's your business, I know that." Scott says, standing up as well now.

"Can you go downstairs, I need to get dressed." Ash says, trying to brush him off.

"He was my Grandfather too, Ash." Scott says.

"I said, get out." Ash says, walking over to her drawers and yanking it open with more force than necessary.

"No, this doesn't end with me just getting out." Scott shakes his head. "I want to know."

"Back off." Ash says, because she doesn't want to drag Scott into this too. "Just..let me handle it-"

"God, I am so _sick_ of hearing you say that!"

Ash spins around, surprised as Scott raises his voice.

"He was my family too! I deserve to know-"

"We have lost Mom, and Grandma and Granddad, our father is in goddamn _prison_!" Ash yells back, walking right up to Scott. "I'm not pulling you into this, you could get hurt!"

"What about you? You're _human_ , Ash! You can't heal like we can! What the hell are you trying to find?! Going to the prison to see Rafael, going to see Jacob? What are you trying to figure out?" Scott barks back. "What the hell are you trying to do?!"

"I'm trying to find out what killed our Grandfather!"

"What?" Scott asks, his voice losing it's volume. "He..he died of cancer, Ash."

"No, he didn't!" Ash yells, getting _so_ frustrated because everyone keeps telling her that.

"How do you know?"

"Because the Vampire told me."

"You're _believing_ him?" Scott asks Ash, an angry scowl coming to his face. "He's playing you, Ash! He probably did the same to Jacob and look at how that ended up! Jacob is one of them now! He's a _monster_! Do you want that for yourself too?!"

"I just want the truth!" Ash yells back.

"Fine! You want the truth so badly? Have it then!" Scott growls, stepping right into her personal space. "You lost your way after Mom died! And I get it, I do, but you were scaring us, I was worried one day I'd come home and.." Scott doesn't finish that sentence but he doesn't have too.

"But you found your way back after that, and I know part of that was Derek too, and I'm grateful he was there when I couldn't be but since the Skinwalkers, you have been cagey and you're being far too reckless! What do you think happens next time when we don't realise you're missing, huh? When we aren't there to save you?! It will _kill_ you, Ash! Jacob could have killed you, he would have if Derek hadn't have followed you and Isaac! If you keep going on like this, we're gonna lose you and I'll have no idea what to do after that!"

Ash takes a step back from his booming voice, or maybe it's just the harshness of the truth.

"You said, you _promised_ , you would look after me and Jade! You _swore_ , Ash! And you're ready to throw in the towel for a truth that might not even exist! What do you think happens if you die? What do you think happens to me and Jade? Me, they might let off, but Jade? They'll put her in the system! She'll end up with some wacked out family that could never love her the way me or you do! I don't want that to happen, Ash! I can't let that happen!"

There's a single beat of silence before Scott confesses to something he didn't tell anyone, not even Stiles.

"I..I sat at Mom's grave the night we buried her and I _promised_ her I wouldn't let anything happen to either of you!"

Scott's words pierce Ash in a way you can't even imagine.

"Just stop this, Ash. Stop it! You can _not_ do this by yourself. Just..just let me help you, it's why I'm here, I'm your fucking brother!" Scott yells, his voice breaking at the end as his eyes turn glassey. "Just let me help you." He says, his voice hoarse and choked up.

Ash finds she can't actually say anything back right then and there. She's speechless because she never expected Scott to scowl her like that. She looks down at her feet, feeling regret and self-deprecation wash over her because she knows she's been foolish, _dangerously_ foolish.

"He.." She forces herself to speak, and to look back up at Scott. "He said that Samuel's death had nothing to do with cancer, that it was pretty much a cover-up." She tells him.

Scott nods for her to go on as he wipes his eyes and sniffs, trying to hide how much the truth of his own words hurt him too.

"He did something to Granddad, I don't know what. He said I had to find out myself and that's when you and Derek came in." She says. She wipes her own eyes quickly, sniffing a little too. "I didn't go out on a whim, Scott. I looked at his medical file and yeah, it does say he died of stage 4 lung cancer, but you wanna know something weird? There's no record of any treatments or diagnoses, nothing at all. That doesn't make sense. That Vampire did something to him, I think he.." She swallows the lump forming in her throat. "I think he killed him, and then he covered it up."

Scott exhales slowly, putting her words together in his head. Because she is right about it not making sense. He just isn't sure he wants to trust the word of a _Vampire_.

"I think you should talk to Peter about it." Scott suggests, the anger gone from his voice as well now. He could tell by his older sister's reaction that she understood the point he was making.

"Why?" Ash asks him.

"If there's any one of us that's been around and seen it all, it's him." Scott says. "Maybe he knows something, maybe he can help. I just..I don't want you going out there anymore half-cocked, half-blind, looking for something when you don't even know where to start looking. I'm not doing this to torture you, I'm doing this because I'm your brother and I love you, and I don't want you to get hurt, it's the same reason Derek followed you and Isaac. We don't want you to get hurt, Ash. Do you understand?" He says this in a much softer voice, but firm enough so she pays attention, and so she can hear the sincerity of it.

If there's one person you can count on to call you out on your bullcrap, it's Ash.

And Ash doesn't see a smidget of lying on Scott, or hear it in the words he says.

"Yeah, I understand." She nods. "And..and I'm sorry, I just..I just need the truth. I loved him so much, and he was _always_ there, I..I need to know. He deserves that much." She says, looking down at her feet again when her own eyes glaze of with salty tears.

"I know." Scott nods. He steps closer to her, putting his hand on her shoulder.

Ash looks up him from under her lashes but the wolf only pulls her close to him and hugs her. Ash sighs softly and wraps her arms around him too.

"If there's another truth out there, we will find it, I promise." Scott assures her.

"Okay." Ash nods.

..

"Jess, maybe it's time you go see a doctor.." Stiles comments as the girl spends her morning throwing up.

"No." She shakes her head, that's currently in the toilet bowl. "No, I'm fine." She says.

"Jess, c'mon." Stiles says.

"No." She shakes her head again. Jessie Hale likes hospitals about as much as Ash likes them. Her Uncle, before he was a nutcase, spent years in a catatomic state, in a wheelchair, sitting, _rotting_ in a hospital. "I just need a bath." She says, flushing the toilet and sitting down on the floor.

Stiles rubs her back, sitting beside her.

"You don't have a bath." Stiles says.

"Yeah, we do. In every loft there's a master bathroom with a bath." Jessie tells him.

"Master bathroom? Where's the master bathroom?" Stiles asks, because despite being over all the time, he's never heard of this master bathroom.

"It's Derek's bathroom." Jessie says, holding her head in her hands because she feels a little dizzy.

"Uh..yeah, in _Derek_ 's bathroom." Stiles says. "As in it belongs to _Derek_."

"He won't mind." Jessie brushes it off. She gets to her feet with Stiles supporting her, even though he doesn't really need too because like Jessie said, she's sick not dying.

"We should cancel lunch with my Dad." Stiles says.

"No!" Jessie objects. "No, okay? I need a bath, maybe for my amazing boyfriend to rub my feet, and I'll be fine." She says. Because Jessie has come to really like the Sheriff, and to get along with him really well too.

"Okay, fine." Stiles gives in, because he wants to see his Dad too. Despite all this supernatural crap, they still need to make time to be normal, for _family_.

"C'mon." Jessie says, leading him down the stairs.

"Wait." Stiles stops, making Jessie stop too.

"What is it?"

"Did you just say I had to rub your feet?" Stiles asks.

Jessie smiles widely at him, giving him those big sparkly blue eyes he loves she much.

"I didn't say you had too but it would help." She says.

And Stiles has no willpower when it comes to that look along with her being sick. He can't object. In fact, he likes to treat her like a Queen, so he just nods.

"C'mon then, your highness." He jokes, taking her hand and leading the way.

Jessie's cheeks darken a little and she leans againist his shoulder as she walks with him.

..

Derek waits on the sofa for Scott, but his eyes are following Ash.

She bounces Jade, talking to her, making her laugh, all while she puts on laundry to be washed, seperating whites from colours and darks from them both.

He notices that ring in her hand and frowns a little. It looked like it hurt, and judging by Ash's reaction to it's appearance, it did hurt, _alot_.

But Ash pays it no mind as she focuses on Jade.

Jade squirms to go down and Ash lets her. Jade waddles over to her toys and begins to play with them.

Ash walks into the kitchen, where the dishes she washed this morning still need to be dried. She starts with the knives, forks and spoons, drying them and placing them back into the drawer all the right way up. Then she moves onto the bigger knives, the steak knives, bread knife, chef's knife.

Ash feels Derek's eyes on her and looks up.

Derek doesn't bother to look away like he's some kind of highschooler with a secret crush.

"You're watching me like maybe you wanna help." Ash comments, looking back down at the large serrated knife as she dries it.

"No, I think I'll stay here, where there's nothing sharp you might be tempted to try to hurt me with." He comments.

This makes Ash look up again. She fights the smile but Derek still sees her lips twitching.

"Try?" She repeats. "Is that a challenge?" She asks, raising her eyebrows at him. But she's only being half-hearted.

"No, I think you have it covered." Derek says, wiping his hand over his cheek quickly as he remembers how sharp her slap was.

Ash sees the action and looks down, feeling a little guilty.

"Yeah, I guess I should probably apologise for that." She says, looking back up at him again.

"But you're not gonna." He says, because he knows her.

"No, I'm not." She shakes her head.

They both look towards the stairs when they hear Scott walking down.

Ash puts the knife away and then puts the teatowel down too.

Derek watches her walk up to him, and he doesn't know what she's going to do.

Scott slows at the bottom of the stairs, because he's unsure as well.

Ash takes Derek's face into her hands and leans in and kisses his cheek.

"The flowers are beautiful, thank you." She says to him quietly. She lets him go and walks over to Jade, lifting her up into her arms. "C'mon, Pumpkin, let's give the puppies some space." Ash says to the toddler, walking up the stairs to their shared room.

Scott side eyes Ash then looks over at Derek. Derek looks just about as surprised as Scott does.

"She really loves lavender." Scott comments, walking over to the alpha. "You know her well."

Derek clears his throat, feeling a little uncomfortable talking about his feelings to do with Ash with her little brother. And he's a little shell-shocked she kissed him, even if it was just on the cheek.

"Alright, moving on." Scott says, getting the hint. "This Vampire, what do we do?"

"We can't seem to keep up with him, so maybe we find him, trap him." Derek suggests. "Did Ash tell you anything?" He asks.

"Yeah, but uh..it's personal." Scott says.

"Personal? What could you have that's personal with a Vamp?" Derek asks, confused.

"He..he might have killed our Grandfather." Scott says, lowering his voice to ensure Ash doesn't hear him.

"What?" Derek asks, even more confused now. "Ash told me your Grandfather died of cancer."

"She told you about that?" Scott asks.

"Yeah." Derek nods, thinking maybe he shouldn't have said anything.

"Wow. You must..you must mean alot to her." He says, because Ash is very private, and her losses aren't something she just talks about willingly.

"Scott, c'mon." Derek says, because he can't have this conversation right now.

"Yeah, um..okay." Scott nods. "Well, we all thought that's how he died but, she looked at his medical file and none of it makes sense. The Vampire told her she had to find out what he did to him by herself. He did something to my Granddad, Derek. I think he killed him and covered it up, and it can't go unpunished."

"It won't go unpunished, I swear." Derek assures him, because he knows Samuel McCall was a good man, and he knows how much the man meant to Ash. "Wait, that's why she went off." Derek realises.

"Yeah." Scott nods. "But I spoke to her, I put a stop to it."

"Good." Derek says.

"Listen, I don't want Ash alone anymore, not when this thing seems to follow her around wherever she goes. I have to work tonight, Deaton had an emergency."

"I'll do it." Derek agrees. "I'll stay and look after them." He says, knowing that's what Scott was going to ask.

"You don't want to think about it?" Scott asks him.

"I don't need too."

"I mean, a cheek kiss, yeah, maybe she doesn't want you dead but that doesn't mean you're out of the dogbox just yet." Scott informs him.

"It doesn't matter. Someone needs to be here, I'd prefer it be me than the others." Derek says.

"That's a little possessive, don't you think?" Scott tests by asking.

Derek just looks at him with a deadpan expression.

Scott chuckles, because he knows Derek's the smartest choice to leave with his sisters, because he's the strongest, he's the _alpha_.

"Relax, I know what you mean." Scott says.

"Does she know about this?" Derek asking, looking over at the stairs Ash disappeared up a few minutes ago.

"She will when you tell her." Scott smirks.

Derek sighs softly.

Maybe Derek did something to Scott that Scott feels the need to get him back for, because Ash has never liked having a guard dog assigned to her without her knowledge, especially not now.

..

Derek walks into his bedroom, unbuckling his belt as he heads for his bathroom.

He stops. He blinks once. Twice. Before he turns around and walks back out without saying a single word.

"Oops." Jessie says.

She's in the bath, completely covered as she's sunken almost completely in the water. And of course the bubbles Stiles insisted you _have_ to have when you take a bath.

That's not the part that was weird for Derek though, well, of course it was a little bit of that.

It's Stiles.

He's pulled his jeans up to his knees and he's sitting on the end of the bath with his feet and legs in the bath with Jessie. Jessie's feet are in his lap and he's rubbing them, like he said he would.

"He's gonna kick me out, isn't he?" Stiles asks.

"Kick your ass, maybe, but he wouldn't kick you out 'cause then he's gotta look after me." Jessie chuckles.

Stiles chuckles too, because he's come to like this dyfunctional family.

"C'mon, we gotta start getting ready to go see Dad." Stiles says, holding his hand out to her.

..

 _Later that night_

"Derek's gonna stay here with you and Jade, keep an eye on you." Scott tells Ash.

Ash groans, falling down onto the sofa. She thought something like this might happen.

"It's a precaution to keep you safe, Ash. We have too." Scott says.

"I know." Ash says, looking over at him.

"I told him to bring Peter too, so you can talk to him." Scott says.

"You did what?" Ash asks, sitting back up.

"You heard me." Scott says. "Now, I have to go, Derek will be here an second." Scott says, picking up his motorcycle helmet. "I'll see you two later." He says, heading for the door because he can hear the alpha's footsteps, followed by Peter's. "Bye, Jadey." He says, waving to the small girl.

"Bye!" Jade waves back, smiling at Scott.

Scott pauses, looking back at Ash.

"Play nice, Ash. Derek misses you, I can tell." He says.

Ash looks around the room awkwardly, her eyes settling in her lap at her hands.

Scott smiles a little, and walks out the door, giving Derek and Peter a thankful nod as they cross paths.

Ash knows it's them when the loft door closes again.

"De'ick!" Jade smiles widely, getting to her feet and racing over to him.

Much to Peter's surprise, Derek doesn't pull away when Jade hugs his legs.

"Hi, Jade." Derek says, touching her hair gently.

He looks over at Ash, who's now looking at him.

Ash gives him a small smile and Derek returns it.

Peter looks between them, unsure what kind of basis they're on at the moment, if they're still fighting or not.

"Scott said you needed to speak with me." Peter says to Ash.

Ash finally looks away from Derek's majestically green eyes and looks at Peter now.

"Uh, yeah." She nods. She looks back to Derek. "Could you..?"

"Yeah, I'll watch her." Derek nods.

"Thanks." Ash says, standing up. She nods for Peter to follow her out to the balcony, so Jade doesn't have to hear any of it.

Peter obides and walks over to it, but Ash stays in her spot.

She looks back at Derek before deciding to just do it. She just over to him, stopping to stand in front of him.

"Thanks, for all this." Ash says again, because he could have gotten Isaac to stay with her, or even left it to Peter, but he wanted to do it himself.

"I told you, I'm gonna look after you." He says.

Ash nods, smiling a little. She leans in kiss his cheek again, and Derek sees this.

He turns more, pressing his lips to her's and kissing her, because he's missed her lips and he couldn't help himself.

Ash pulls back slowly, just looking at him.

Derek doesn't say anything, he just looks at her, waiting for her to do something.

"Ash?" Peter says, because he didn't sign up to stand here and be their marrige consoller, he came to talk to Ash like Scott requested.

"Yeah." Ash says. It takes her another moment to actually walk away from Derek, because she didn't expect that.

She walks out onto the balcony with the former alpha, trying to ignore the damn fireworks exploding all over her lips from where Derek touched his to her's for the first time in a little while now.

"You look like a happy couple again." Peter comments with a smirk.

"So, this Vampire?" Ash pointedly changes the subject.

"Heh. Yeah, okay, the Vampire." Peter nods.

"I uh.." Ash jumps up on the corner of the deck railing and sits on it. "Do Vampires lie? I mean, would they lie?"

"Well, they can. And they will, especially if it'll provide an advantage for them." Peter answers her. "Why? What did he tell you?" Peter asks, sitting down on a deck chair, because he knows Ash wouldn't ask that for no reason.

Derek keeps an eye on Jade, and glances at the two outside every minute or so, just making sure it's civil and Peter's not riding her nerves too much.

"Um.." Ash hesitates, because Scott was right, she doesn't like to just outright talk about her lost loved ones, it hurts. "We thought we lost a family member to cancer, this Vampire seems to think otherwise, seems to think he had something to do with it. I think he killed them." Ash says.

Peter notices the way she doesn't use names or give away too much. He knows part of it is the way she's particularly private, but she knows more or it is because she doesn't trust him like she trusts Derek. She doesn't like him like she likes Isaac or Jessie. And Peter knows it's his fault too.

"Okay. Did he give you any other details?" Peter asks.

"No." Ash shakes her head. "I mean, he just said I had to find out myself, but I don't know where to start, or why he would tell me that in the first place." Ash sighs.

"It sounds like a trap." Peter says.

"But I checked his medical files and the cancer doesn't add up, it doesn't make sense, Peter."

"Well, maybe so. Maybe he did kill whoever you're talking about, and I'm sorry about that. But he's using that againist you, he's trying to lure you in."

"Lure me in to do what?" Ash asks him with a deep frown.

"My best guess? He's gotten a whiff of your blood and it smells tastier than the rest. He can't help himself, you've become a hunt to him, a _game_." Peter says. "The way he's followed you, risked stepping into wolf territory and come into your home, he's not gonna give up until he's fed-"

"Peter." Derek growls, suddenly right by Ash's side with his hand on her lower back because her eyes are wide and she looks scared.

Derek glares at his Uncle. Derek's not stupid, he knows it's a possiblity, it's why Scott's keeping wolves with her all the time, but Derek didn't want anyone to slam Ash with it like that either because she's plain frightened now.

"I think you should go." Derek says, looking at Peter.

"I was just giving her the truth." Peter says.

"You-" Derek growls.

"No, he's right." Ash stops the alpha. "I asked for the truth." She sighs.

Derek frowns, looking from her to Peter.

"You and Isaac go do a border check, call me if you find _anything_. We need to track down Jacob as well, he should be with the one that turned him, he'll be training him." Derek says. "I want to find this bloodsucker and I want it _dead_." Derek says to his Uncle.

Peter nods, because he can push Derek's buttons over being a failure in his eyes, over being a terrible alpha, but he can't do it about Ash. With Ash it's different, he's so protective of her, and of Jade, that he doesn't brush it off, he _attacks_. He lets his wolf loose and doesn't expect to bring back any prisoners. That makes him powerful. That makes him _dangerous_.

"I'll let you know." Peter says. He looks at Ash for a moment. "We'll keep you safe, Ash." He says.

Both Derek and Ash are surprised to hear him say that, because he's never said anything like that to any of them before.

"Thanks." Is all Ash can muster as an answer.

Peter nods and leaves the loft without another word.

"It's getting late, maybe you and Jade should get some sleep." Derek suggests, breaking the silence that plagues them after Peter's departure.

"Yeah." Ash nods. She stands there for a moment more before snapping out of it, walking back inside and over to Jade.

Ash lifts Jade up into her arms.

"It's time for bed, Princess." Ash says to her.

"Yeah." Jade nods, her own eyelids already drooping.

Ash smiles softly and begins walking up the stairs. She doesn't question it when Derek hesitates before following her up.

Ash lays Jade in her crib, which she is _very_ quickly growing out of. She tucks the blankets around her before closing her bedroom curtains and flicking her lamp on, turning off the main light.

Derek sits down on her desk chair, deciding to wait the night out from there like he's done with her before.

Ash glances at him, a small voice in her mind telling her to drag him into her bed because she knows she'll sleep better if he's with her. But she doesn't.

She climbs under the covers, settling down againist the mattress because she is a little exhausted herself.

She looks at Derek, and he looks at her.

"Goodnight, Derek." She says with a small smile.

"Night, Ash." He returns.

Ash clicks out the lamp, enloping them into darkness.

..

..

 **No Vampire this chapter, but he's definitely still lurking! Dash is still healing! Favourite, follow and review!**


	49. A Trap

**Oh, my God! The site is doing that thing again where it says I have reviews but I can't actually view them :( Sorry, readers. I will do my shout-outs when I can see them and respond to them. Until then, enjoy this chapter!**

 **..**

Of course, it just had to be tonight.

The night Scott's asked Derek to stay with her, stay by her side and watch over her.

Of course it had to be tonight.

 _Ash runs through the woods, pushing branches out of her way and jumping over fallen logs and stumps as she tries not to trip over them._

 _All she can hear is her own heart racing in her throat and ears, and, of course, her rapid breathing._

 _It's laugh echoes around each corner, every tree, every direction._

 _Ash skids to a stop, unsure where it is._

 _She's panicking, sweating, as she spins in a circle turning to pinpoint which direction the approaching footsteps are coming from._

 _She sees glowing grey eyes through the darkness and sprints away in the other direction frantically, scared tears filling her tears._

 _A new sound splits through the air, a baby's cry._

 _A few painful moments pass before Ash realises who the awful cries belong too._

 _"JADE?!" She screams, her feet moving just a little faster as adrenaline is pumped through her entire body._

 _"Jade?! Baby?!" Ash yells, the cries getting closer and closer, louder and louder, as she keeps running. "Jade- AH!" Ash's entire being twists in horror when she finds the source of the crying._

 _Jade's tiny body twitches and squirms as her throat's attacked._

 _The Vampire lifts it's head, and turns to face Ash._

 _He smiles, blood covering his face, and flesh stuck between his teeth._

Ash wakes in a cold sweat.

Derek's at her side in the blink of an eye.

"Hey, Ash? Hey, look at me." He says, grabbing her shoulders because she's in a full panic.

"I-I c-can't." She says hoarsely, because she can't breathe. "Can't b-breathe."

"Where's your bag? I'll get your inhaler." He says, glowing red eyes searching the room for it.

"D-Downstairs, or-or in my c-car, I d-don't know." She wheezes, her hand clutching her chest, the other fisting his henley tightly to keep herself upright.

"Ash, I can't leave you like this." He says, shaking his head. "What do I do, Ash? How do I stop this?" He asks.

"You..you c-can't." She tells him.

 _'There's no such thing as can't, Derek, only won't'_

His mother's words echo in his head. Of all the times, now is the time he hears her.

"Wh-Where's J-Jade?" Ash asks, her voice coming out guttural.

"She's in her crib, sleeping. She's fine, I promise." Derek assures her.

 _'Only not willing to try'_

He hears her again. And she's right, he has to do _something_ , he has to at least _try_.

"Hey." Derek says, taking her face into his hands. "Look at me, Ash."

She looks at him but he's a little blurry, because she's struggling to breath and she's dizzy.

"It's okay. I'm right here. Whatever you dreamt, that was just a _dream_. I'm here, and I'm not gonna let anything happen to you." He tells her. "Shhh." He hushes her, leaning his forehead againist her's.

Ash hiccups, the bubble-like feeling in her throat popping. She feels like she can breath, but she can't stop softly gasping. And the tears in her eyes, they won't go away either.

"Here." He takes her hand and puts it over his heart. "Slow down, match them." He says, putting her other hand over her own heart.

Ash squeezes her eyes shut, trying to drown out everything but his heartbeat and her's. She's almost sobbing, still breathing too quickly, but she ignores it to listen to that sound.

 _Thump, thump. Thump, thump. Thump, thump._

Derek shuts his eyes too, listening to her heart.

 _Thump, thump, thump, thump._

He listens as it starts to slow down, the rapid thump of it quietening.

 _Thump, thump, thump._

 _Thump, thump. Thump, thump._

"Just like that, Ash, just slow it down." He says quietly.

Ash sobs softly, able to breathe normally now. Her hand over Derek's heart squeezes a little. She breaks down, images of her nightmare, of her baby sister in that state, still fresh in her mind.

Derek lets the girl collapse againist his chest, tears flowing down her cheeks. He lifts her into his lap and Ash curls herself into a ball. Derek wraps his arms around her, resting his chin gently on her head that's ducked into his neck.

She cries, her body raking with each new tear.

Derek keeps her close to him, rubbing her back with one hand, the other hand Ash now clutches tightly with one of her's.

"You don't have to be scared while I'm here." Derek tells her quietly.

Ash doesn't say anything, because she knows her words will come out all watery and wobbily. She just nods againist his neck, seeking console and comfort from being so close to him again after the last couple days of shaky distance.

..

Jessie's stomach has been wobbily for about an hour now.

Until she can feel her throat burning and her mouth waters warmly and she has to throw Stiles' arm off her and bolt into the bathroom.

"Okay, Jess?" Stiles says, walking into the bathroom sleepily to find her spending yet another morning face down in a toilet bowl. And not the good kind of face down in the toilet bowl, not after a night of fun, laughter, and copious amounts of alcohol. This is a virus or something, where your body aches along with it.

"Jess, I'm driving you to the doctor's right now." Stiles says, _once again_ pulling her hair out of her face and behind her back.

"No, I'm-"

"You're going."

Both teenagers spin around to the doorway when they hear Derek's voice.

"Jesus." Stiles exhales, because Derek scared the crap out of him. "I thought you were looking after Ash?"

"I was. Scott came back, took over." Derek says, stepping into the bathroom.

"She okay?" Jessie asks, looking up at her brother.

Derek thinks of crying, of her smelling terrified, of her sobbing and clinging to him.

"Yeah." Derek says anyway, because Ash wouldn't appreciate him telling everyone the kind of state she was in.

He looks at his sister, she still looks ill, she smells different too.

Derek walks over to Jessie. He grasps her arm, helping her to her feet.

Jessie jumps back a little as Derek puts his nose to her face and sniffs.

Stiles' eyebrows almost hit the ceiling, because he's never actually seen a werewolf do that.

But Derek can't distinguish what he's smelling so all he can do is get a better scent and hope to pick up something.

"Derek?" Jessie asks as her brother continues to sniff at her. "What can you smell?" She asks when he just stops, frowning.

"I don't know." He says, confused.

"Okay, doctor's, now." Stiles decides, because if Derek can't even figure it out then they might have a problem.

"He's right." Derek agrees.

Both of them look at Jessie, crossing their arms over their chests.

"Fine." Jessie agrees with a reluctant sigh. She goes to walk past them but Stiles catches her arm gently.

"Jess, you need to brush your teeth first." He reminds her, because even he can smell her vomit breath.

"Oh, God, what else do you want me to do?" She asks him with a groan of frustration.

Derek leaves the room, because his sister is moody swingy as all hell as of late, and he'd rather leave all that 'girl' stuff to Stiles and count himself lucky he doesn't get that with Ash..well, not most of the time anyway, the girl does have her moments.

"What the hell is wrong with you today?" Stiles asks, leaning againist the wall as she scrubs her teeth.

"What are you talking about?" Jessie asks, spitting her mouthful into the sink and washing it away.

"You're just..odd today." He says, choosing his words carefully.

"And that means what exactly?" Jessie asks as she rinses her toothbrush and puts it back in the holder before turning to him.

"Nothing, it's..nothing." Stiles says.

"That might be the smartest thing you've ever decided to say." Jessie smiles.

Stiles chuckles, shaking his head.

"C'mon, let's go figure this out." He says, holding his hand out to her.

..

 _Later that day_

"Derek, you might want to have a look at this." Peter says, looking down at a particularly old leather-bound book with faded gold pages.

The alpha looks up from his own book. He snaps it shut, puts it on the table and walks over to his Uncle.

"Look, here." Peter says, pointing to the page. "This is the most we've found on Vampires." He says, looking at the long passage of writing.

Derek's about to start reading when he hears the front door open. He determines the scents to belong to Stiles and Jessie, there's still something off with Jessie's though.

"Big Bro?" Jessie calls out.

"Up here." Derek calls back.

Jessie and Stiles walks up the stairs, and then into the library, hand in hand.

"What'd the doctor say?" Derek asks, looking at Jessie.

"He took some blood, said he'd send a letter with the results." Jessie tells him.

"Um, that's not _all_ he said." Stiles says.

"What else did he say?" Derek asks.

Jessie groans, because with how both males, scrap that, all three because Peter is too, looking at her, she knows she can't avoid this.

"To..to stay in bed until we know what's wrong." Jessie mumbles, but both wolves hear her and Stiles already knows because he was in the doctor's office with her.

"Get in bed, Jess." Derek says.

"No-"

"Jessie." Derek says, firmer, raising her thick eyebrows at her.

Jessie tries to fight it, but she sighs and nods.

"Damn, I need to learn how to do that." Stiles says, because Jessie just caved.

Jessie gives Stiles her own eyebrow raised look and Stiles just chuckles, because she looks so cute when she's frustrated.

"C'mon, I'll rub your feet." Stiles says, leading her towards the door.

And Jessie can't object to that, so she follows him.

Peter cringes at what Stiles just told Jessie he'd do. Being romantic isn't exactly the former _psychoatic_ alpha's strong suit.

"What did you say was in Ash's hand?" Peter asks.

All three of them look back to the older man, Jessie and Stiles stopping in the doorway because Peter sounds more alert now, more urgent.

"What?" Stiles asks.

"The marking in her hand, what was it of?" Peter asks, looking at Stiles.

"It was a ring." Derek says. "She doesn't know how it got there, it just appeared after-"

" _A Vampire will decide your fate immediantly after the encounter_." Peter keeps going for Derek, but he's reading from the book now. " _Some, the Vampire will choose to feed on or will take back for it's nest to feed on. Others, they might choose to kill if they're blood or body aren't needed. And lastly, a Vampire might choose to turn a human, but not usually at that time_."

"What are you saying, Peter?" Jessie asks, walking back over to him and Derek now.

" _This is indicated with a mark that can be physically projected into the skin through heat. The ring has been chosen and used for centeries as a symbol of the red ring that errupts around the iris of a newly turned Vampire which will later dull to grey after the first feeding_." Peter finishes.

"He's not gonna kill her, he's gonna turn her, just like he did to Jacob." Jessie realises.

"Whoever it was that Ash thinks he killed in her family, I don't know how they faked a fake report, but it didn't happen, it was a trap. He's been drawing her in from the beginning." Peter says.

Because the Vampires are _so_ much smarter than they are given credit for.

Derek's out the door before any of them.

Ash is folding her laundry and sliding it into her drawers.

Jade sits on her bed, playing with a stuffed lion.

Ash smiles at her and when Jade looks up, she smiles back.

The dryer downstairs beeps, indicating Ash's next load of laundry is now dry.

It consists of Jade's clothes, and Ash wants to bathe her, so Ash abandons her washing to go downstairs.

She crotches down and opens the dryer but her head snaps to the side when she hears a creak in the floorboards.

"Scott?" Ash calls out. "Derek?" She stands up now, looking around the loft.

She walks over to the stairs, thinking maybe Jade followed her. But there's noone there.

"It's okay." Ash calms herself, because she's been jumpy lately, she knows that, but she's also untitled after everything that's happened.

She turns around to finish her laundry, and this time, someone's there.

She tries to scream but the Vampire throws his hands over her mouth and begins dragging her towards the fire escape.

By the time Derek's raced into the loft, with the others behind him, and crashed into her room, he only finds Jade on the bed, crying.

With all the thumping, Scott comes bolting out of his room, skidding to a stop when he finds them all in Ash's room.

"What's going on?" He asks, scooping Jade up to soothe her cries. "Where's Ash?" Scott asks, frowning when she's not in the room.

Then an awful sound invades Derek's ears making the alpha cringe.

"Please, don't- AH!" He hears from no more than a quarter mile away.

"What is it?" Scott asks him.

"It's Ash." He says, bolting for the window. "Stay here and look after Jade-"

"What? If she's hurt, I need to come!" Scott objects, his eyes wide with concern.

"No, stay here, look after Jade, look after them." Derek shoots him down.

"Derek-"

"No! Stay here and _keep Jade safe_!" Derek barks, his eyes flashing red. "Peter, with me. The rest of you _stay put_." He orders.

He jumps straight out the window, swinging down the fire escape as fast as he can. As soon as his feet hit the ground, he races off after the sound of Ash screaming in pain, not caring if Peter's keeping up or not.

..

..

 **Uh-oh! Favourite, follow and review!**


	50. Too Late

**I am so frustrated! The reviews** _ **still**_ **haven't been fixed :( I still encourage you to review because hopefully they'll be fixed soon, but if there's something you want to take up with me then PM me and I'll be happy to respond that way while this problem is still ongoing :)**

 **..**

"Here!" Derek yells, zeroing in on Ash's cries.

He and Peter skid around a stump, Derek racing over to her when he sees her.

She's in hysterics by now. And when Derek touches her, she panics, frantically trying to get away from him.

"Get off m-me!" She cries.

"Ash! It's me, it's Derek, it's okay." He stops her, grabbing her shoulders.

Ash calms a little, able to recognize his voice.

All Derek can smell is the blood that covers her arm.

He pulls his shirt off, wrapping it around her arm quickly, in an effort to stop the bleeding.

Ash is sobbing uncontrollably now, she's trying to speak but what is coming out isn't very coherant.

"Ash? Ash, it's okay. Look at me, it's okay." He says but she just won't stop crying.

Peter steps closer to them, his glowing blue eyes searching the woods because he smells.. _something_.

"Don't look at it, okay? Just..just look at me. We can fix this, you'll be fine." He tells her.

But Ash just shakes her head, crying even harder.

"Derek." Peter says, spotting the invading scent. "He's here." He says.

Derek's head snaps in that same direction, spotting the Vampire that's smirking at them from across the way.

"Go." Derek tells Peter, because there's no way he can leave Ash here, but he can't let the Vampire get away either.

Peter shoots after it and the Vampire sprints away, easily staying ahead of the werewolf.

"D-Derek..s-stop." Ash tries to tell him as he tries to stop the bleeding.

"What? No." He frowns in confusion, starting to leach her pain as well. He's surprised at how much pain she's actually in.

"Stop!" Ash yells, shoving him away from her.

Derek just looks at her in shock.

Ash grunts in pain as she pulls the shirt off her arm. She wipes the blood away, revealing the fang marks that have deeply pierced her skin. Ash sighs, dropping the shirt as the blood starts to pool again and then dribble down her arm. She knows what this means, so what's the point in trying to stop the bleeding. It won't stop _anything_.

"No." He shakes his head. "No, no, no." The alpha objects, because the bite is right over her wrist, _where the venom can quickly shoot through her veins to her heart and around the rest of her body_.

"Ash.." He says, brushing her hair from her face with a defeated look, because he knows he's already too late.

"I'm s-sorry." Ash sobs, looking up at him.

Derek's stomach drops, because he doesn't realise just how late he really is until her looks into her eyes.

There's already a large red ring starting to form around both of her pupils.

He _turned_ her, right under their noses.

Derek swallows loudly, his brow furrowing angerily.

"I-I'm s-sorry." Ash says again.

Derek just gets to his feet, and for a moment, Ash thinks he's going to run off and abandon her because of what she's going to become. A wolf's sworn enemy, _Derek_ 's enemy, _Scott_ 's enemy.

But, of course, he doesn't. He would never just abandon her, not when she's sick, not when she's well, not even when she's shifting into the very thing he was born to _hate_ right before his eyes.

He holds his hand out to her.

Ash weakly puts her's in his and he helps her to her feet with a gentle pull. She's shaky on her feet, wobbily, too much to be able to walk.

"Keep still." He advices as he wraps his shirt back around her bleeding arm. Because whether the bleeding doesn't do anything to her, Derek can't just watch it happen either.

Ash just watches him with her tear-filled eyes, wondering how the hell he can see past what she will be in no more than an hour or two.

"Can you walk?" He asks, looking up at her again.

The Vampire wasn't exactly gentle with her, and she's lost alot of blood. She is still technically human, she's dizzy as all hell.

Ash shakes her head, looking down, like she's ashamed.

He slips his fingers under her chin, tilting her head back up so she has to look at him. He doesn't say anything, he just meets her eyes evenly and nods. He lifts her into his arms, carrying her bridal style.

"We'll be home again soon." He says as he starts walking back towards the loft, his mind desperately seeks some kind of cure, all while he thinks of how he's going to _slaughter_ the fang that did this is her.

"I'm so s-sorry, D-Derek." Ash apologies again, knowing this screws things up, _alot_.

"Shhh, just relax, we'll be home soon." He hushes her, unable to keep hearing her apologise for something she couldn't control and obviously didn't want to happen to her in the first place.

"I-I sc-screwed up really b-bad this time, r-right?"

"Relax, Ash." He says again, because he doesn't know what else to tell her.

Ash just curls closer to him, burying her face into his neck as she continues to cry over the seemingly unfixable situation.

Derek sighs, walking a little faster towards their homes while he keeps his arms securely around her, holding her as close as their positions will allow, hoping it'll provide her with some of that safety and security his embrace usually does.

But not this time.

This time? This time, it's _bad_.

..

Scott smells the blood before Derek's even in the door.

But, when he does get through the door, all hell breaks loose.

"Ash?!" Scott panics. He races over to his sister while Jessie turns Jade away from her because there's blood and it's not something Jade should see. Jessie doesn't want the young girl to panic or be scared.

"Oh, God. What happened?" He asks Derek, looking at the alpha desperately as Derek gently lowers Ash to the sofa.

"Scott, he..he turned her." Derek tells him.

Scott's face, and stomach, drop.

"I..I didn't get there in time, I'm sorry." Derek says, looking at Scott with the same sad eyes that he's looking at his big sister with now.

"Oh, no." Scott drops to his knees beside Ash, gently placing his hands on her arm, which Derek wrapped up with his shirt again. He starts to take her pain, having the same struggle Derek did with the intensity of it. "Ash, we..we-we're gonna do something, okay?" He says to her.

But Ash doesn't answer, because she knows it's too late too, she can _feel_ it, inside of her.

And the other's know it too, but Scott and Derek are in denial, because she's _Ash_ , she's their's, they can't accept this fate.

Ash sniffs, trying to stop crying, as she reaches her uninjuried arm up and touches his cheek.

"I..I'm sorry, S-Scott." She says. "You're r-right. I promised to-to look after you-"

"No, stop." Scott shakes his head. "You're gonna be fine, we're gonna find a way to stop this, okay? Do you hear me?"

Ash smiles a little, despite her tears, despite the blood, despite her pain, because she can see he _really_ wants to believe it.

Peter comes back into the loft, almost having to catch his breath because he was chasing the Vampire and he is _fast_.

"Did you find them?" Derek asks him straight away.

Peter shakes his head.

"No, but I might have an idea as to where their nest is." He says.

"Get a map, I want a drawn plan." Derek says. "We go at nightfall." He decides, not wanting to waste much time.

"I'll help with the plan." Stiles says, because he's the best for that and they all know it.

"What about her?" Scott asks, looking up at Derek.

Everyone looks over at the alpha, even Ash, because they don't know what happens now.

"We have maybe an hour before she fully turns." Derek says. "We'll figure something out." He says. He look down at Ash and she offers him the same small smile she offered Scott.

That's not much time at all for them to devise a plan and to fix Ash, if they even can. But, the only way they're going to find some kind of cure, is by getting it from the Vampire himself, the one that would know.

"Scott, I need your help too." Stiles says, looking over at his best friend.

"I'll stay with her." Derek tells the younger wolf.

Only then is Scott able to tear his eyes away from Ash and go with Peter and Stiles.

"Ash?" Jade says, trying to peek over Jessie's shoulder and at her big sister.

Jessie looks at Derek, he can see his sister's heart breaking in her eyes, because this could all go _very_ bad, and Jade could lose someone else, someone that's tried to be a mother to her.

"It's okay, Jess, just take Jade upstairs." Derek tells her.

Jessie sniffs and nods, craddling the girl close and walking up the stairs.

Derek looks down at Ash again.

"I'm sorry this happened." Derek says to her.

Ash shakes her head.

"Don't apologise." Ash says, her tears have stopped falling, and the pain is slowly getting better as the venom takes over her body. "This was my fault, I was chasing a truth that didn't exist."

"You know then?" Derek asks her.

Ash nods, thinking back to what happened before the Vampire bit her.

 _"You wanna know the best part? I didn't touch your Grandfather." The Vampire laughs as he drags her further and further into the woods. "I beat you at your own game, I faked a fake medical file, clever, right? You have to give me a little credit." He says, shoving her to the ground when he's reached his destination._

 _"Please..please, don't do this." Ash begs him._

 _"I have too." The Vampire says, looking at her marked hand. "It must be horrible for you though, right? I made you seek out out your Daddy in the big house, I sent you on a wild goose chase, I drove you_ _ **crazy**_ _. And the truth is just that, he did die of stage 4 lung cancer." The Vampire throws it back in her face._

 _"Why?" Ash asks him with tear filled eyes. "Of everything you could have done, you could have just cornered me and killed me, why did you mess with his medical file?" Ash asks._

 _"Because there is nothing more satisfying than watching and smelling and hearing you lose your mind over something that doesn't exist." He answers._

 _"You wanna kill me? Go ahead. But I hope you run fast, because our pack are gonna tear you apart." Ash scowls, trying to appear stronger than she feels so she can at least die with some dignity._

 _"Kill you?" The Vampire repeats, then laughs. "Sweetheart, you're marked. You're not prey, you're one of us. Well, at least you're about to be." He says. His fangs come out and he advances on her._

 _"Please, don't -AH!"_

Another tear does dribble down Ash's cheek.

Derek wipes it away with his thumb.

"I almost got killed because I believed something so stupid." Ash laughs brokenly. "I just..I wanted it to be different, you know? I was so.. _obsessed_ with finding out what really happened because, after _everything_ we went through with him, I couldn't believe cancer was the thing that took him down." Ash says with a sad look in her eye.

"I know." He says, putting his hand on her cheek and gently caressing it. "I'm sorry you lost him."

"Yeah." Ash nods. "Maybe I should go home, wait it out there by myself-"

"You're not doing anything by yourself." Derek stops her, shaking his head. "You'll be fine here." He says.

"You know what this means, don't you?" She asks him. "You can't leave me this way. Someone needs to do something about me before I finish changing." She says.

"No." Derek shakes his head. "Noone's touching you, noone is gonna hurt you-"

"This isn't about looking after me anymore, Derek. I'm not gonna be _me_ by the night." She says.

Derek frowns, because what she's saying makes sense, _perfect_ sense, they can't have a Vampire with them, it's just..Werewolves and Vampire _can't_ run together, they just can't, they've never been able too. It would only end in blood, either by a fight, or by the Vampire feeding. But what she's suggesting they do to her..no, Derek can't allow that either. He can not lose anyone else around him. He _can't_. Not someone else he cares about.

"I know you see it that way, but I'm not letting that happen." He tells her.

"You should. Because by the time the sun's down, I'll be willing to hurt you." She tells him, knowing it's true. "And Scott, and Jade, Stiles, _Jessie_ ,-" Ash enforces her name, because she knows if anything can change his mind, it's Jessie and her safety. "-Isaac, Peter, any of them in my sight."

"Ash, don't say that." Derek says.

Ash pulls herself to sit up, ignoring the way Derek's frown deepens as he wants her to lay still.

"Are you gonna let me hurt them?" She asks, looking him dead in the eye.

"You won't hurt them." Derek says, but he knows once she's changed, she would. He's just trying to keep her calm, and have a little faith that it won't go that far.

"That's a lie. Someone is gonna get hurt, and _you_ know it's gonna be one of them. Don't let your pack get hurt, Derek, it's wrong, and you know it." Ash says with a soft sigh.

Derek just shakes his head, because he's in denial of the truth that she speaks.

Ash brings her hand to his cheek, brushing her thumb over his stumble with a small smile.

"You know, you drive me crazy sometimes, but I do care about you alot." Ash tells him with a light chuckle.

Derek looks at her, confused, unsure how their conversation came to this.

She leans forward and kisses him, on the lips this time. She kisses him soft, slow, gentle.

Derek finds himself lost in this feeling he's been granted again. He's kissing her as well, threading his hand into her hair. But then he quickly pulls back when he realises what that was.

That was her saying goodbye.

"Ash..no.." He shakes his head.

"Can you get my brother? I wanna see him." _While I'm still human_.

Derek stands up, a _hurt_ frown set in his features. Ash watches him walk away, the tension in his shoulders showing his frustrations.

Scott comes out from the kitchen, where they're putting together a plan. He goes over to Ash's side, sitting down on the edge of the sofa where Derek just was.

"Derek said you wanted to see me?" Scott says to her.

"Yeah." Ash nods.

"He looked..upset. What's going on?" Scott asks, looking concerned.

"Scott, I don't..I don't have much time left." She says, squeezing his hand, because she can feel the way the venom is changing her from the inside out.

"What? Why?" Scott asked. "Derek said we had an hour-"

"He said we _might_ have an hour." Ash corrects him. "Scott..I can feel it. I don't have an hour." She says. "I'm sorry." She says.

"Ash, just..just stop." Scott shakes his head, realising what she's trying to say.

"I love you, Scott. God, I-I don't know how I would have gotten through any of this crap without you, and Jade. I love you both, more than you know." She says, tears coming to her eyes.

"Ash. What you're thinking..no. Okay? _No_."

"She's right." Comes Peter's voice.

The siblings look over at him, finding the pack has come back into the living room.

"Peter, no." Scott shakes his head.

"Yes." Ash nods. "Finish it, before I'm one of them, please." Ash says. "I don't want to be like them."

Scott sees Peter _inch_ forward and his eyes snap to him.

"Touch her, come anywhere _near_ her, and I'll kill you where you stand." Scott warns from Ash's side.

"Scott, as far as we know, there's no cure." Peter says, looking at the younger wolf. "And she's turning alot faster than we thought." He says.

It's not that Peter _wants_ to kill her, it's that he knows it has to be done. By the time Ash has changed and given in to her fang side..they could all be _dead_.

"Noone is _murdering_ my sister!" Scott snaps at him, his eyes bleeding a bright gold. His Mom was murdered, he's not _letting_ it happen to his sister either, no matter the circumstances. He doesn't care if she's destined to have fangs and a thrist for their blood, there is _no_ way in _hell_ Scott is letting any one of them hurt his sister like that.

Ash starts to move and Scott immediantly grabs her.

"I just have to go to the bathroom." Ash says.

"I'm coming with you." Scott says, glancing at the others like he thinks they would actually just grab the girl and behead her on the spot. Because they all saw the picture Jessie showed them in the thick, brown book. Vampires can _only_ be killed by _beheading_.

"Scott." Ash shakes her head, getting to her feet.

Peter shares a look with Derek, because her bleeding has stopped and she's no longer in pain. She's almost completely healed herself, her body's taking the bite _very_ well, maybe even too well, definitely too well for any of their likings.

"Um..talk about it. Figure out what you want to do." She says to them all, before disappearing into the bathroom.

The pack stand there, and they don't know what to say. They don't want to even think about this. But it's not absurd, Ash is trying to help _them_.

She knows she got herself into this mess. She was so obsessed with finding another truth, _anything_ that meant her Grandfather, her solider Grandfather, her other caregiver, her _hero_ , didn't die from cancer in his lungs. She just _needed_ it to be different. It was too hard to accept, after everything Samuel had been through with the McCall family over the past 20 odd years. Ash just couldn't accept it that way, she just couldn't. But, when it comes to something you know you can't stop, you're always in denial, you always _can't_ accept that fate. But Ash knows _her own_ fate. She's going to turn, and she's going to be the bloodsucking fanged creatures she and the pack hate so much. She's going to be everything she never wanted to be, a _monster_ , a _danger_ to her own family.

"She's a sitting duck." Peter says.

"What are we supposed to do, huh?" Stiles asks him. "Just throw her out? No. She's _family_. We're not killing her, and we aren't tossing her out either." He says.

"Do you wanna survive the night? Because if you do, then-"

"Don't even say it." Scott cuts Peter off in warning.

Ash stands in the bathroom, looking at her red ringed irises in the mirror, trying not to hear what they're saying about her but it's practically impossible with her now advanced hearing. Because this shift is happening, _right now_. That's the real reason Ash left the room. If she has to die, she'll die, but she just thought she'd have a _little_ more time, minutes, seconds, _anything_.

"She's staying here, with us, I'm not putting her out there." Derek snaps, glaring at his Uncle. " _They_ will find her, and take her with them."

"She's gonna have to feed, and if she's here, it's gonna be one of us." Peter says. because he's the only one who is _actually_ thinking _logically_ , not swayed by the fact she's so close to them all.

"No. No, I won't let that happen." Scott shakes his head.

"Look, I know what she means to each of you." Peter says, looking between them. "Trust me, I don't want this just as much as you do, but she's a threat to us now. If we can't catch those other Vampires, how do you think it's going to be with her? She could kill _all_ of us before the sun's even up." Peter says.

They all don't say anything, because it's true.

"Scott, I'm sorry, I know she's your sister, but this has to happen." He says.

"Just..just no. No." Derek shakes his head.

"Derek, I know how you _really_ feel about her, and I'm sorry, but she's not _your's_ anymore. She's not even really _her_ anymore." Peter says, because if Derek's kept her this close for this long, been at her side through all of this crap and the crap they've been through in the past, Peter knows his nephew has _real_ feelings for her, _deep_ feelings. The sort of feelings that when either of them say ' _We're not even dating_ ', it really means ' _If you so much as throw what's_ _ **mine**_ _a flirty smile, I tear rip you limb from limb_ '.

"I said _no_ , Peter." Derek grounds out, because he knows how he feels. He knows how she feels, even if they both object to being a couple, even if they've never or never will tell each other exactly how they feel about each other, Derek _knows_. And whether Ash is herself or not, noone's hurting her.

"Fine, but when she starts sucking on her own baby sister, don't say I didn't warn you-"

Scott grabs Peter and slams him into the wall, growling in his face.

"Hey, Scott!" Derek barks, grabbing the beta before he does something he'll regret.

Ash peeks out the door and watches with tear-filled eyes as the pack try to seperate the two werewolves.

"I said, stop!" Derek yells, getting between them.

Isaac pulls Peter back, ans Stiles manages to pull Scott back while Derek stays between them so they can't hurt each other anymore.

" _ENOUGH_!" The alpha roars loudly.

The betas flinch away and even Stiles takes a step back. From upstairs, Jessie tenses up, hearing her brother's booming warning.

Jade's fussing in Jessie's arm, she knows something is _very_ wrong.

The loft falls into quiet and the alpha's eyes soon return to their usual green colour again.

"She's staying with us, and she's not gonna hurt anyone, she won't. That's it, that's my decision. If you don't agree, then leave, now." Derek says, looking between each one of them.

"Derek." Peter says.

Derek turns to him, ready to get _mad_ if Peter says _anything_ wrong. But that's not why Peter wanted his attention.

Peter nods to the bathroom, where the door is open, but it's empty.

"Where is she?" Derek asks, walking through them over to the small tiled room.

"No. No, no, no. Where the hell is my sister?" Scott asks, pushing past them to get over there as well.

"Scott.." Stiles says, making him look over at him now.

The window to the fire escape is wide open, the cold air filing into the loft now.

Scott races out of it, looking over the deck and down the various stories. She's nowhere in sight, already long gone.

"We have to find her." Scott says, turning back to the pack now. "C'mon!" He shouts, darting towards the front door.

..

..

 **She was trying to be selfless and sacriface herself,** _ **but**_ **, she changed, her Vamperic side has taken over! Will she live and stay with them? Will she run? Or will she die? Favourite, follow and review!**


	51. Drawn

**The reviews** _ **still**_ **aren't fixed but I went into my other email and found and read them that way so yay! I uh..I don't know why I didn't think of that earlier..sorry :3**

 **Shout out to:**

 ***Maxine Hale (c47): Hmm, maybe.. We will see if you get your wish!**

 ***Serena Sterling (c48): Well, I'm glad I can still surprise you! Stessie is** _ **so**_ **cute :3 Hehe, Derek may have accepted Stessie but seeing their lovey-dovey moments is another thing :P**

 ***AlphaWolf19 (c49): Well, she hasn't gotten her blood tests results back yet because they have to get sent away so who knows what's wrong with her yet :O Don't worry about it, my characters like it when you talk to them..that's not something you hear everyday! No, Jade's fine, she's just not allowed to be around all the 'big kid Vampire' stuff! Yay, you're catching up! Yes, netflix has been having some problems as of late :( I'm sure what you have is good but only post it if you're happy with it because otherwise you'll worry all day, this is coming from my own experience :P Maybe it has something to do with her being sick, maybe not, mohaha! Rambling is absolute fine :) Thanks :)**

 ***Serena Sterling (c49): I know, poor Ash! Derek and Peter to the rescue..maybe.. The smell? You will find out :P You're welcome and thanks!**

 ***Serena Sterling (c50): Hehe, me and my cliffhangers keeping everyone on edge! I'm not giving anything away! You're welcome and thanks!**

 ***TheHungryRainbow (c50): Hehe, oops, I was supposed to google the proper spelling since I don't have any spellcheck. Sorry, but thanks for that! Your baby? You might have to fight Derek for her ;)**

 ***Guest (c50): That is a very interesting question! Because when I was drafting how this would go, I did think about that, but I'm not giving anything away, sorry! :P**

 **Sorry if I missed anyone! By the way, I'm** _ **finally**_ **going back and fixing my typos! Yay! And please read the end note!**

 **..**

As expected, Ash is _drawn_ to the nest.

She can't help it.

She goes inside, smelling all sorts of scents, mostly rotting ones, and distant smells of blood that make her mouth water.

But the freshly turned are the _hungriest_.

"Ash."

Ash turns towards the voice, spotting a familiar figure.

Jacob steps into the light, him and his grey eyes smiling at her.

"You made it." He says.

Ash doesn't have a response, she doesn't know why she let herself come here. She feels like her mind is making decisions without _her_ consent.

"Shy? Oh, that's alright. I was in the beginning too." He says, turning his back to her. He continues to suck down on a blood bag. He swallows, making a satisfied sound, before turning back to her.

Ash is just wide eyed, because her, the _real_ her, is disgusted, but the Vampire part of her is jealous because he gets to lick the missed blood from his bottom lip.

"Hungry?" Jacob asks her, noticing the way her eyes follow the blood. Just like his did in the beginning.

Ash forces herself to shake her head, get a grip, and take some damn control of her own body.

"You will be joining us, right, Ash?" Jacob asks her, his now grey eyes looking into her red-ringed ones.

"No." Ash shakes her head.

"Then why did you come here?" Jacob asks her.

Ash opens her mouth but she can't summon a response.

Jacob smiles softly.

"While I admire your loyalty to that pack, when they see what you really are, _one of us_ , those wolves will have _no_ loyalty to you, not anymore." Jacob tells her. "Not Scott, not Derek, none of them. Not even the humans."

Ash frowns, because she knows part of that is true, even if the pack don't want too, they would eventually leave her behind.

Like Derek said, Vampires and Werewolves don't play nice together.

They never have, they _never_ will.

"C'mon, have a drink with me." Jacob says, picking up the blood bag again. He says it like they're in college again, back to the night before a big exam where Ash wants to get home to cram even more than she already has but Jacob convinces her to stay for just _one_ more drink.

"Jacob..you have to stop." Ash says to him, trying her hardest to ignore the smell of the blood.

The male just laughs, putting the bag down, before he begins to circle her slowly.

"Stop? I'm not stopping anything."

"This isn't you. I know you, and this isn't you." She says.

"Ash, you're so blind to what the opportunity you've recieved, the _gift_." He says.

Ash frowns at 'gift'. Because this is _no_ way a gift, this is a _curse_. This is going to ruin _everything_ she and the pack have built. This is going to destroy her family, because Ash knows she has to die. But the tiny human part of her that knows and accepts that fact is no match for the Vampire side that is still deciding whether to stay with Jacob here in the nest or to take off, run, and hope noone ever hunts her down.

"The bite is a gift." Jacob says.

An twang of anger enters the girl, because Derek once said that to Scott. And even though things have changed now and they're all pack and family, in the beginning, the bite wasn't a gift. It changed the McCall's lives, Stiles' and John's lives, _forever_.

So..maybe..a Vampire's bite is the same.

 _No!_

Ash yells at herself from inside, because she can't let herself think that it's the same because it's _not_.

The wolves, they're different. They're protective, and strong, and they look after the town and the people in it.

The Vampires? They kill, and they _drink_ , whoever they want. They kill without reason, not just to feed. They don't bother looking for an alternative, they just spot someone who looks tempting and they _feast_ on them, while they're still kicking and screaming in pain and begging for help.

 _Just like the Skinwalkers_.

The Skinwalkers that killed her Mom without reason. Just because she decided to go for a walk that night, because she needed to clear her head after Rafael visited, after all the stress she's been under with bills and work and just.. _everything_. Just life itself.

Ash _will not_ compare the wolves to these bloodsuckers, she refuses to let her Vampire side believe they are even remotely the same, _because they're not_.

"No, it's not a gift." Ash shakes her head.

"You're missing out." Jacob says. "There's so many cool things that come with it, things you'll learn and find out for yourself." Jacob says with a smile and excited eyes, both similiar to a child tearing into their presents on Christmas morning.

It's almost painful to watch.

"Did you know that once Vampires choose a mate, they're mated for life?" He asks her. "That's like..old testament, you know? Being with your soul mate, forever. I..I know I messed up with you but this could fix it, right?" He asks her.

"Jake, please." Ash pleads, using his old nickname in hopes it'll snap him out of this, because this shift from human to Vampire has turned him into someone that isn't really him, it's just wearing his face. Ash knows it's going to do the same to her as well, and that scares the hell out of her.

"Don't you get it, Ashy?" He asks her, stepping up to her and taking her chin into his hand. "We can have this place, this town, it can be our's. _Mine_ and _your's_."

Ash looks at him, confused.

"Once Eric is finished here, he'll move on and seek out another town to turn. Baby, he would leave _all_ of this to us." Jacob says to her with a big smile.

"You're not yourself." Ash says, slowly pulling away from him.

This isn't Jacob. This isn't _Jake_.

Jacob's hand drops back to his side.

"You're different. But I help you change back. The pack? They-they have a..cure." Ash lies, hoping she can manover herself out of this situation in this nest, maybe even get Jacob out of it too.

"Change _back_?" Jacob repeats then laughs. "I don't wanna change back. Once you feed, and you taste the blood of another human and you see what it does to your body, you won't wanna change back either." He says.

"I'm not gonna _drink_ an innocent person." Ash says, her eyebrows furrowing.

"You don't have a choice." He says, before rushing forward and grabbing her.

"Jacob! Stop!" Ash yells when he holds her arms behind her back, pressing himself againist her. "Please, please don't." She pleads.

"Hold on, baby. I'm gonna make everything better." He says, leading her towards a table that's dirtied with _God knows what_.

Ash sees him lift a jar off the table. He shakes it and Ash can smell what it is.

 _Blood_.

"No!" She objects, trying to escape his hold but he's been trained, he can control it, he's fed, he's stronger than she is.

"We're gonna have so much fun." He laughs in her ear. "It'll be like old times, me and you, getting up to no good. We can take out _anyone_ in this town, and noone can stop us. We'll be the unstoppable pair, like Batman and Robin, but better." He says with a smile, like it's all a big joke.

"I'm not gonna kill people! And I'm not gonna let you do it either!" Ash barks, trying to wiggle out of his hold.

"Whoa. Careful, darling. We're not mated yet." Jacob comments as the girl's body rubs all over his during her struggle.

"Jacob, _please_ , listen to me. Please, stop this. Just let me go, I can still help you get away from all of this." Ash says.

"No. No, baby, I'm the one that's going to help you." Jacob says. He turns her around and pushes her to lay down on the table.

Ash feels something clip around her wrists. She yanks at them, only to realise they're chains and now both of her wrists are chained so she can't get away from him or the _blood_.

Jacob untwists the lid of the jar off.

Ash is hit with an _intense_ stench of blood. She doesn't know how she knows but her mind identifies it to be a female's blood, a young woman, maybe early 20's, not too much older than Ash is.

"Open up." Jacob says, reaching for her mouth.

Ash feels her anger boil, as well as her fear, and her fangs are painfully forced out of her gums. She snaps them at Jacob in warning, because she will _not_ feed.

"Now, I don't want to hurt you, but you aren't giving me much of a choice." Jacob says, starting to get frustrated as she continues to resist when Eric told him that she would give in to the blood, she'd _want_ it. But she still doesn't. Because she's too strong-willed to just _cave_.

"Get off of me!" Ash hisses, getting her leg up and kicking out againist Jacob's stomach, sending the male flying back into the wall.

The jar slips from his hand and spills, smashing againist the concrete.

Jacob smirks at her, because she's stronger than he thought she'd be.

He brings his finger to his mouth, licking off the drops of blood that spilt over his hand.

Ash huffs in and out angerily, glaring at him.

"Look at you." Jacob says, still smirking. "You're strong, I'll give you that, mentally and physically." He compliments, slowly walking towards her. "You should have been licking the blood from the floor by now."

Ash tries to ignore it, but the smell of the blood has crashed into the air now as it's spilt. And it's so.. _inviting_.

"You can smell it, can't you?" Jacob asks her. "Just imagine what it _tastes_ like." He taunts her.

Ash forces herself not to look over at the puddle of red splashed along the ground.

"Imagine _sucking_ that from a living, breathing person's throat while they scream and beg." He smiles. "It's..it's the most thrilling and satisfying thing you've ever felt, trust me."

Ash feels sick to her stomach because it actually sounds good, _appetising_.

"I saw her, you know? Little Jade." Jacob says. "I remember when your Mom was pregnant, I always knew it would be a girl. And she'd be beautiful like you and her. She's much cuter than I imagined, good enough to _eat_."

"Shut up." Ash says, trying to block out all the metallic smells around her, all the _delicious_ smells.

"Mmm, mmm, mmm. The younger they are, the better they taste." Jacob says. He leans down close to her, into her ear. "I bet she would taste like heaven." He whispers, smiling againist her earlobe.

"No! Stop!" Ash yells, her eyes tearing up because her stomach growls in anticipation and excitement. "I would n-never hurt h-her!" She dry-sobs.

"You say that now, but when she cuts her finger and you zero in on that single drop of blood, _you won't be able to stop yourself, you won't want to because all you'll see is your next meal_." His voice comes out deeper, monsterous.

A tear rolls down Ash's cheek. She grits her teeth, unable to stop the other's that begin to follow.

"It's all gonna be okay." He says to her. "You're safe with me, noone will hurt you, not hunters, not anyone." He says. "We'll take over this town, together, side by side."

And it's just a ticking time bomb inside of her.

Because that's what Derek and Scott say to her.

 _You're safe with me_

Ash tears at her chains angerily, a loud sob leaving her lips.

Jacob only has a second to jump back before she completely tears the chains from the wall.

Ash wraps the chains around her fist, colliding it into his face.

Jacob stumbles but quickly finds his footing again. He looks up at Ash, wiping the blood from his lip.

"You may look like him, but you are _not_ Jacob." Ash says.

"You're right, I'm not, not anymore." He says. "I'm something better." He says, his eyes shining a brighter grey. "And you're gonna pay for that, bitch." He says.

Ash brings up the other chain to wrap around her other fist, raising them both up in front of her, ready to try and fight her way out of this.

Jacob hisses and charges at her.

Ash swings but he's so much faster than her as well, she was lucky enough to hit him before. She had the element of surprise then..that's obviously gone now.

Jacob catches her fist, squeezing down on the red cast until Ash actually cries out in pain. Then comes an unmistakable crunch as he cracks bone, the bone Ash has spent weeks healing after her father's attack.

Ash whines, her fangs bared at him.

Jacob's other hand wraps around her throat and he smashes her into the wall.

"I said you'd pay, didn't I?" He asks, running his nose up her cheek, smelling her.

Ash squirms uncomfortably.

"Oh, God. You still smell a little human." He says, brushing his lips over her neck. Ash swears she even feels a fang or two as well. "Argh, besides _his_ scent." Jacon says, disgusted at the smell of wolf tainting her. "That wayward canine _orphan_."

"Don't you _dare_ talk about him like that." Ash warns before hooking the chain in front of his face and pulling back so she's choking him.

Jacob's caught off guard again and begins to gasp.

Ash pulls as tight as she can but a swift uppercut causes her to lose her grip.

Jacob rips himself out of the chains, pulling them away from her as well, tossing them across the room.

Ash panics, because now she has no defence but hand to hand, and he's proved he's stronger.

Jacob takes a fistful of her hair and shoves her into the wall, face first.

Ash blacks out for a second before coming back too, dizzy and disorientated.

Jacob flings her across the room, causing her to collide into the table and it to shatter under her until she's laying in a heap of broken wood and her own blood on the concrete.

Ash rolls onto her stomach, breathing shallowly because there's an awful pain in her ribs. She tries to get up but she just falls back down. She cries out, a large splinter of wood jamming further into the skin on her torso, leaking even more blood.

"Eric thought you'd be more trouble than your worth anyway." Jacob says, closing in on her with the promise to _end_ her right here and now.

But the cracking of brick makes him stop, looking over in direction of the wall.

Jacob's confused, until a big fist rips through the wall, 4 werewolves crashing in with it, Derek in front of them all, his fist healing over from the impact of the brick..

The second werewolf is smelt, Jacob's fangs are out and he's hissing at all 4 of them.

Ash hears the fight start to take place, but she's having trouble seeing straight because the splinter has done so much more than just puncture her skin, it's cut into something much, _much_ more serious.

She feels like she's drowning in her own blood as it floods her lung. She coughs up blood onto the concrete.

She knows the wound and the blood loss won't kill her as a Vampire, but if they can change her back, which she prays they can, that's when it'll be a problem. That's when it'll kill her. But Ash would rather die human than be one of those bloodsucking monsters.

It takes _seconds_ for her to pass out, the sound of someone yelling her name echoing in her mind.

..

..

 **:O Favourite, follow and review!**

 **NOTE: It completely slipped my mind but I'm actually going to be away for a few days from tomorrow onwards so..no updates until I'm back. Sorry! :( I won't have my laptop or internet so there's no way I can make it work. It may only be one day, but with the good weather it's looking like two. But, I know you guys will hang in there, even if I cruelly ended on a cliffhanger, sorry again you lovely people! See you soon!**


	52. A Game

**Sorry this took longer than I said to be put up! I wanted it be a long one! And, also, I wasn't going to put it in, but I realised how much a Derek x Jacob moment has to happen and I knew this chapter would be perfect so I added that in too!**

 **Shout out to:**

 ***Telsa424: I'm glad you feel that way! I'm back now so you can see what's happening!**

 ***AlphaWolf19: Cool, I'll have a read when I can :) It does work, I'm glad it works, but now my reviews are fixed, hehe :P Jessie's bloodwork is coming this chapter! I'm not giving anything away because most of your questions will be answered this chapter :) I did, thank you :) I'm back so here's the update!**

 ***TheHungryRainbow: Is that a good 'oh, my god', or a bad 'oh, my god'? Let's hope for good :)**

 ***Serena Sterling: Can she.. You will see this chapter! You're welcome and thanks!**

 ***momentum123: Aw, will they be together forever though? Derek said Vampires and Werewolves can't run together :(**

 ***Guest: Update's here (and late, sorry!) :)**

 **..**

 _Eric was leaving Jacob to deal with a freshly turned Ash. And he was right, she was starting to be more trouble than she was worth. So, when he heard crashing and smashing, he left them, he just keep feeding a blood bag to Daisy, the girl he bit between Jacob and Ash._

 _But then came a particullarly loud crash. And then the smell of canine,_ _ **dog**_ _, filled their nest._

 _Eric came in, hissing and his fangs out, Daisy not far behind him._

 _Scott could smell Ash's blood, and see her lifeless body laying in a pile of broken wood and rubble. But he can't go to her, they need every werewolf for this fight._

 _That's why Jessie and Stiles dropped Jade off with Lucy at the hospital's daycare, open at night as well for staff that work through the night._

 _The two humans get there signal from Peter, a nod, and they run over to Ash while the Vampires are occupied with the wolves._

 _One good thing about Ash coming here, to the nest? The Vampires wouldn't run or flee, they'd protect their home, just like the wolves do. But it also means they can't escape the wolves either._

 _"Oh, God." Jessie says, gently rolling Ash onto her back._

 _A decent sized piece of wood sticks out of her ribcage, blood pooling under her from it._

 _"She's gonna be fine." Stiles assures his girlfriend, and maybe even himself too. Because Ash isn't moving, they're not even sure if she's breathing._

 _"Stiles, look at her." Jessie says with sad eyes._

 _Stiles forces himself to look at her wound properly, and he feels his heart drop._

 _"That's her lung. She can't breathe." Jessie says._

 _"N-No, no." Stiles shakes his head, because **no**. "She's gonna be fine, just help me get her out of here." Stiles says._

 _He pulls his hoodie off over his head and manages to tie it around the stick and Ash's body to prevent it from moving too much more. She's solimp is his arms, so.. **broken**. Stiles tries to lift her up on his own but he's struggling._

 _Jessie's just wide-eyed, because she knows Ash is more than likely dead. And it's not just that, it's the fact that someone would have to tell Derek, either her or Stiles. She couldn't do that to him._

 _"Jessie, she's gonna be fine." Stiles says, like he can read her mind. He looks up, his own teary eyes looking into her's because he's **praying** she'll be fine, but it isn't looking good. "Please help me." He pleads, his voice cracking a little bit._

 _Jessie pulls herself out of her woes and helps her boyfriend, because she can see he's on the cusp of tears._

 _The two quickly, but as carefully as they can, carry the bleeding, unconscious girl out of further harm's way._

 _"No." Scott says, getting in front of Derek when the glowing red eyed-alpha sets the head Vampire in his sights. "He's mine." Scott growls, lunging at Eric._

 _Every part of Derek screams to pull Scott away and end it himself for what he's done to Ash. But there's the smaller but smarter part of Derek that knows his anger for what has happened to Ash is only half, maybe even only a quarter compared to what her younger brother feels. And that's the only reason Derek then turns to Jacob, because he was as much a part of this as the other Vampire was._

 _Scott and Derek focus only one the Vampires in front of them, letting Isaac and Peter handle the girl. The girl none of them even knew had been bitten and turned._

 _"I had a feeling you'd come to her rescue." Jacob says, looking at Derek._

 _Straight away, Derek can tell he's not entirely himself._

 _"She smells of you." Jacob goes on. "Right along her neck." He smirks, knowing he'll get a reaction._

 _And he does._

 _Derek roars, jumping at him. Because **no one** is allowed that close to her neck, only him._

 _Derek does clip his forearm, but Jacob gets out of the way, wanting to toy with the alpha a little bit first._

 _"You're faster than I thought." Jacob says, putting his hand over the dark blood, that's more black than red, leaking from the slash along his arm. "You know, the taste of human blood tends to change one a little." Jacob says. "Up here." He says, tapping against his temple._

 _Derek just rounds him slowly, waiting for another opportunity to strike, while still being vaguely confused by what the man who obviously isn't **really** Jacob is saying._

 _"When I changed, I found that the last few things the human Jacob was really holding onto had a lot to do with you and Ash." He says._

 _Yeah, this definitely isn't 100% Jacob._

 _"I mean, he saw you two kiss in the hospital-" Derek pauses for a second, because he had no idea, before stalking the Vampire again. "-really teared him up, really. I actually think he was hoping to reconcile with her."_

 _"I don't care, just shut up." Derek finally says, because he doesn't want to listen to this._

 _"Ah, I see that one's a touchy subject-" Derek lunges again, but Jacob just side steps with a smirk. "You are a sneaky one. I see why Ash would like you. But she's one of us now."_

 _"No, she'll **always** be one of us, Vampire or not." Derek growls, because whether Vampire venom runs through her veins or not, she's nothing like these vicioius bloodsuckers. She never will be._

 _"No, she won't. She's not, not anymore." Jacob says. "And you know deep down, in that sour chest of your's, that you can't be with her, not anymore. Your wolf would never allow it." He says._

 _Derek snaps his fangs, but he does know deep down that it's true. And that hurts._

 _"My, my, Mister Wolf." Jacob smiles, loving the reactions he's able to draw from Derek by taunting him with Ash. "You didn't go and accidentally fall in love with her, did you?" He asks Derek._

 _Derek doesn't answer. He attacks, this time, faster, tackling Jacob to the floor._

 _"Now, that was quite dirty." Jacob says, wrapping his arms around the wolf's neck and locking them tight. "I wasn't done talking." He says, flipping them and pinning Derek down. "You know, funny thing about Ash is, heh, well firstly, her name's not actually even Ash." He says in the wolf's ear._

 _Derek's struggles die down a little, because what does that mean?  
_

 _"Yeah, I didn't think you knew." Jacob says, tightening his hold around Derek's neck. "You see, I found out on accident, I caught her looking at her birth certificate and this other letter with a different name on it, but it had her picture. So, obviously, I revealed myself and started asking some questions because as her boyfriend, her **lover** -" He purposely drags the word out in Derek's ear._

 _And his reaction is too struggle a whole damn lot, trying to inflict some kind of damage._

 _"Uh-uh, still not done." Jacob says, waving his finger. "It's actually kind of sad, really. It'd been barely a month since she'd lost her Grandfather, her Grandmother only months before that. Turns out, Melissa named her first baby girl after her mother. And once Melissa's mother had passed, 'Ash' couldn't stand to have her name anymore. Something about not deserving it, or not being good enough, something like that. But, anyway, after Ash turned 18, she had it legally changed, no one ever brought it up, they just kept calling her Ash." Jacob says._

 _Jacob pulls Derek closer to him, lowering his voice to barely a whisper._

 _"You wanna know her real name?" Jacob asks._

 _Derek would be lying if he didn't say he was curious._

 _A two syllable word is whispered into his ear, one that makes Derek understand why she chooses to just go by Ash._

 _"Quite beautiful, isn't it?" Jacob asks him, his voice normal again. "She told me never to call her that, that she'd throw me out a window if I did." He chuckles. "All because she doesn't love herself, how stupid-" He mocks._

 _Derek does more than struggle this time, he crotches and throws the other man over his shoulders and to the ground. Derek used to free time to quickly catch his breath before Jacob jumps to his feet._

 _"You're **mighty** protective of her." Jacob smirks. "Like I was saying, the funny thing about her is, once she's in too deep, she'll find a reason to run from you. Trust me, she tried to with me, but then of course I cheated, so, that one worked itself out." He says._

 _Derek feels his anger boil as he continues to rub at his aching neck._

 _Jacob inhales, smelling that unmistakable scent._

 _"So, you do know the truth about us. Because I know Scott doesn't." Jacob says. "Yeah, I slept with her roommate, more than once actually. But, hey, it wasn't my fault." Jacob says, throwing his hands up in surrender. "Ash wasn't given me much ass, I had to get it somewhere else-"_

 _Derek roars angrily, barging into the Vampire unforgivingly enough to surprise him and take him off his feet._

 _Across the room, a more than angry Scott stands over the head Vampire._

 _Derek was right, his anger could never compare to Scott's. Just like Stiles' anger could never compare to Derek's when it comes to Jessie._

 _"You think killing me stops anything?" Eric asks the werewolf, dark blood trickling down his lip and staining his teeth._

 _"It'll stop **you**." Scott says, kneeling down, putting one knee to the Vampire's chest so he can't get back up. Even though he's too weak to do that anything, Scott brought more than just a fight to him, he brought a damn **hurricane**. But he did for is sister._

 _"But it won't make your sister human again." Eric taunts, making Scott's lip twitch angrily. "It won't stop her from killing you and your friends, your little sister-"_

 _Scott's claws meet the Vampire's neck. Blood splashes across the wolf's claws and knuckles as Eric's head rolls a few steps away from his body._

 _Scott stands up, looking down at the headless body with a glare._

 _"That's for my sister, you piece of **filth**." He sneers before spitting down at it._

 _When two heads and two headless bodies lay on the floor, Isaac and Peter find Derek._

 _They find him **angry** , angrier than he's been in a long time._

 _Peter watches as Derek throws him through a stack of wooden crates. He watches as Derek hurts him, but not enough to kill him, because maybe Derek wants to **play** with Jacob a little too._

 _"Derek." Peter says. Like with the Skinwalkers, he's getting carried away. But it's because of **her**. They're doing this for Ash, **his** Ash._

 _Derek looks at his Uncle. He nods towards where Jacob is recovering, because this time he can pull himself back, he won't give in and lose control because he knows that's exactly what Jacob wants him to do. Besides, Derek's hurt him enough, the other man is no match anymore._

 _"What do we do about him?" Isaac asks, looking at Jacob as Peter grabs him, dragging him to his feet and holding him still._

 _"Look at his eyes, he's already fed. He has to die." Peter says._

 _"You can't kill me." Jacob says, but he's looking right at Derek. "Ash would hate you." He says with a bleeding grin._

 _"Do it fast." Derek tells his Uncle, because Derek still has to respect that he was once Ash's world, and that even now they were trying to be friends back when he was really himself, his human self, but he's also not going to let Jacob live. No way. Even if it means Ash hates him._

 _Peter nods and Derek turns away before you hear flesh tear and then two thuds as the head hits the ground and the body drops afterwards._

..

Ash's eyes flutter open. Her vision all dizzy and blurred, but she hears a rhythmic beeping.

"Wh..where am I?" Shes asks anyone and noone at the same time.

She tries to move but her body barely cooperates.

"Oh, God. Am I dead?" She asks. "Is this my hell? Or my heaven?" She asks, confused, because not being able to move without feeling a stabbing pain definitely isn't heaven, but it's a little low key for hell as well.

But then a fuzzy face enters her vision, it slowly settles until she's looking at her favourite pair of green eyes.

"Ash?" Derek says, looking at her.

"Definitely not heaven, because you'd be naked." She says with a weak chuckle before coughing up dark blood into her hand.

"Not my idea of a conversation starter, but I'll let you off this one time." Comes another voice from across the room.

Ash turns as much as she can, looking in that direction, ignoring her bloodied hand because she already knows by the pain that she's in _bad_ shape.

Jessie stands there, leaning against the door.

"Hey, Ash. How you feeling?" She asks, walking over to the older girl and sitting beside her, alongside Derek.

"Like I've been asleep for a year." Ash says, her voice raspy.

"Ash, there's something you should know before you say anything else." Derek says, looking at her eyes, her still red-ringed eyes.

But Scott comes bursting through the door, rushing over to her. He ignores her broken body, hugging her tightly.

And even though it hurts, _a lot,_ Ash just hugs him back.

But then she pulls back abruptly, causing even more pain for herself. But her nose feels like it's..she doesn't know, like it's..on fire or something.

"What the hell is that?" Ash asks, screwing her face up, both in pain and from this odd feeling in her nose, this _smell_.

"It's uh..it's me." Scott says, realising Ash is unaware of her situation she's still stuck in. "It's all the wolves actually." He says.

Ash pauses, looking up at her brother.

"Am I..?" She asks.

"Yeah, you're still a..yeah." Scott nods.

Ash frowns.

"Why don't you all clear out, give me a moment with her?" Come Deaton's voice, which would make sense, Ash is starting to realise they're in Deaton's animal clinic.

"Are you sure that's the best idea?" Jessie asks quietly, not wanting to offend Ash but..Vampire, human, you see where I'm going with this?

"We'll be fine." Deaton assures her.

Jessie goes first, Scott and Derek a little more reluctant to leave her side. In fact, Derek hasn't most of the time she's been out, sometimes him or Scott had to go out and do things, but if they weren't doing that, they were both here, at her side, for _3_ _days_. And that's 3 days Derek's had to brood and dwell on the things 'Jacob' said to him before he allowed Peter to kill him.

"C'mon, guys." Jessie says, gently grasping their arms and leading both males out of the room, shutting the door behind them.

"Do I have to stay this way forever?" Ash asks before Deaton can even open his mouth.

"How are you feeling? Dizziness? Pain?" Deaton asks her.

"Hey, I asked you a question-"

"And now I'm asking you one." Deaton cuts her off.

Ash is actually a little taken back by that.

"C'mon, Ash. Dizziness? Pain? Naseau?" Deaton asks her.

"Um..I guess, pain. I gotta lot of pain." She decides she should just answer him, because it seems he's not answering her until she's answered him.

"Are you hungry?" He asks her.

"Um.." Ash doesn't know how to answer that one. Well, she does, but she doesn't want to say it out loud.

"I'll take that as a yes?" Deaton asks her, his voice softening, because she shouldn't have to go through this.

Ash just nods, looking anywhere but at the Vet in front of her.

"No, Ash, you're not gonna be like this forever." He says.

Ash's eyes shoot back up to him.

"What? Really?" She asks, already sounding perkier.

"Don't get too excited, Ash. You do need to stay this way for a little while." Deaton says, not wanting her to be metaphorically bouncing off the walls when there's a down side as well.

"What? Why? Just..just change me back, right now. I don't want to stay this way." Ash objects, her frown deepening.

"It's not that easy." Deaton shakes his head. "Let me show you something." He says, reaching out to her shirt.

Ash watches him with razor focus, watching his _every_ move, wondering what exactly he's doing.

The Vet gently pulls her singlet up until she can see the wound she received from the fight.

Ash's eyes widen a little.

"How am I not dead?" She asks, because by looking at it, _she should definitely be dead_.

"The only way to kill a Vampire is to behead it." Deaton reminds her, carefully letting her shirt go again, sitting back in his seat.

"So.. _technically_..I should be dead?" Ash asks.

"That's clean through your _lung_. You should definitely be dead." Deaton nods.

"Oh..okay." Ash nods, her eyes widening more because, _what the hell?!_ "S-So, now what? I just stay this way and-and my Vampire side just heals me?" She asks him.

"That's what we're hoping for." Deaton nods. "Just like a wolf, you're going to have to heal yourself."

"How? How do I do that?" Ash asks him.

"I don't know." Deaton answers honestly. "Tahlia used to say that your body just _tells_ you." He tells her.

"But Derek's Mom was an _alpha_ , she was _powerful_ , I'm just.."

"A Vampire." Deaton finishes for her when she trails off. "Once you've healed enough to a point where you'd be stable enough to survive as a human, we _will_ turn you back, I promise."

"How?" Ash asks.

"There's a cure." Deaton tells her.

"What? No. No, Derek would have known, Peter too." Ash shakes her head, trying to ignore the pain in her bruised neck as she moves it.

"No, I didn't even know about it, not until they brought you to me." Deaton says.

"What do you mean? What does that even mean?" She asks.

"You should rest some more, heal. We can talk when you wake up." Deaton says, standing up.

"No, wait-" Ash shoots up, crying out when a whole new level of pain shoots through her entire body, head to toe.

Scott comes rushing back through the door and to Ash's side, Derek not far behind him.

She holds her hand over where she can almost _see_ her own heart beating. Black blood leaks through her fingers, but she's the only one shocked because this has happened while she's been asleep too. Her body's healing itself, but she's dying too, the _only_ thing keeping her alive is the Vampire venom running through her veins.

"Like I said, Ash, rest, heal, we have all the time in the world to talk." Deaton says.

"We'll stay with her, make sure she's fine." Scott tells him.

Deaton nods, because he knows part of that was a dismissal as well.

"Hey, you gotta take is easy, okay? You have _a lot_ of healing to do." Scott says, brushing her hair out of her face as he helps the pained girl lay down again.

Derek sits at her other side, taking her hand into his, sucking away the pain that he can.

"What Deaton said, about a cure..is it true?" Ash asks them, her voice that rough rasp again, because she's hurt herself again.

"Relax, Ash." Derek says.

"I need to know, is it true?" Ash asks, her voice coming out surprisingly strong considering she's in about as much pain as a woman giving birth is. "Or am I stuck like this? Just..just tell me."

"Deaton was telling the truth, Ash, I swear." Scott promises her. "After we brought you here and he saw the way you'd held back from feeding, he knew it had to mean _something_. He found a cure, but you need strength for it, it's going to be horrible, maybe even worse than this." He says.

"I don't care." Ash says. "As long as I get to be me again."

"You will be, I promise." Scott says.

"Now, get some rest, Ash." It's Derek's voice this time. I say 'voice' because Ash's eyes have already slipped shut. Maybe it's the exhaustion, maybe it's the strain on her body, maybe it's the pain, but she soon finds herself passing out.

Derek watches her fall asleep, and he waits at least another 10 minutes before he looks at Scott.

"I need to ask you something, and you need to be honest with me." Derek says.

Scott looks up at him when he hears Derek speak.

"What's your sister's name?" Derek asks.

"Ash." Scott says with a scoff like he thinks Derek's stupid.

"What's her _real_ name?" Derek asks.

Scott looks away from him, looking down at his sister.

"Jacob told me, I know the truth." Derek tells him, Scott's frown only deepening. "And I understand why she cut it short, why she made it just 'Ash'."

"Ash may seem impassive sometimes, but really, she wears her heart on her sleeve." Scott says, still looking down at his sister.

Derek listens, letting Scott speak.

"How she was when Mom died? She was sort of like that when we lost our Grandparents too. I didn't know them like she knew them, but of course I still loved them and it still hurt. I don't know, she had this relationship with them that no one else had. I don't know how to explain it. But when we lost our Grandmother, it really took a lot from her, she was..different. Not in a bad way, but she wasn't as carefree either. And then when we lost our Grandfather..she just..floated away. She was gone for a week, I think it was. She just couldn't stay in one place, I heard she was in a motel, others said she stayed on their sofa then was gone by sunrise. I don't know, it just crushed her more than we could understand. Mom thought about sending her to a therapist, but she wasn't messed up, she was just heart-broken. It took about another week for her to come home. She apologised for taking off, we understood of course. Mom just told her we were there for her whenever she needed us. If I'm being honest, I didn't sleep much those weekw, if at all. I was so worried about her, and I was grieving too. But she came back, and time started to heal our wounds. But every time someone called her by her name, she'd almost flinch, you know? After losing both of them, she just couldn't handle it anymore. Then she turned 18. And that's when she shortened her name legally. She told us, asked us to only call her that from then on, so we did." Scott explains.

Derek nods, drinking all of that in. He could tell by how obsessive she became about her Grandfather's death that that was tough for her, but he didn't know much about her relationship with her Grandmother.

"So, for the last couple years, you've only called her 'Ash'?" Derek asks.

"Yeah." Scott nods. "Just like we don't mention my middle name." He says, finally looking at the alpha.

"Your middle name? I thought it was 'Thomas'?" Derek says, because in court that was the named used.

"That's _one_ of them." Scott says.

"What's the other one?" Derek asks.

Scott just looks at him.

 _Where did it come from?_

 _My Grandfather. Samuel McCall. My Mom's Dad._

 _Where is he now?_

 _He's dead._

Derek sighs, remembering that conversation.

"Samuel." Derek says. "It's Samuel, like your Grandfather."

"Yeah." Scott nods sadly.

"I didn't know, I'm sorry." He says.

"Don't apologise." Scott says. "It's not like you."

Derek doesn't say anything else.

"Listen, I know you have this thing with Ash that none of us can understand, but, I'm telling you, don't bring it up. You'll only hurt her." Scott tells him. "And I'd like it if you never told anyone what I just told you either."

"I won't." Derek promises him. But the part about Ash..he can't just _pretend_ he doesn't know what he knows. He wants to help her. He wants to help Scott too. "You know.."

Scott looks back at the alpha.

"You shouldn't be ashamed-"

"I'm not ashamed, I'm grieving." Scott corrects him.

"No, I know." Derek says, because he didn't mean ashamed in an embarrassed way. "I feel the same way whenever I see my last name on my mail." He admits, looking at Ash so he doesn't have to look at Scott.

Scott's eyes widen a little, because he always knew Derek had feelings deep down, but he thought they were, like, _deep down,_ never to surface kind of thing.

"But they were family. My sisters, my Mom, my Dad..I can't change that, I never want to change that." He continues.

Scott wants too, he _really_ wants to question the plural of Derek's deceased sister _s_ , but decides against it in this situation. Maybe another day. Or maybe never.

"Yeah, it hurts, a lot. But I think it's a pain worth struggling for." Derek says.

Scott looks back down at Ash too now, because he knows that's true.

And they stay quiet after that.

..

When Ash wakes up again, only Derek's at her side.

Scott's asleep on the sofa in the corner, twisted into a pretzel like shape to fit his whole body on it.

"Hey." Ash says, looking up at Derek. She looks at her hand, seeing Derek's is still wrapped around it, still taking her pain when he can. She looks back up at him when he doesn't respond. "Everything okay?" She asks, her hand coming up to brush over her cheek. "Derek? What is it?" She asks, becoming increasingly worried.

"Ashlyn." Derek says.

Ash pauses, frozen in her spot.

Derek watches her face fall, torn between a look of shock, and a look of surprise.

"What did you just say?" She asks him, in case she heard him wrong, because she must of.

"I called you Ashlyn." He says.

"How did you.."

"It doesn't matter." Derek shakes his head. "Is that your real name?" He asks her. "Ashlyn Piper McCall?" He asks her whole name.

She finds she can't really speak, so she just nods. No one's called her that since she changed her name to just 'Ash'. She couldn't have her Grandmother's name, not someone so strong-willed, so loving, so **..** _beautiful_ inside and out. Ash wishes she could be half the woman her Grandmother was, the woman bet cancer once for Christ's sake. But the second time..she wasn't so lucky. It hurts Ash too much to think about it every time someone says her name, so she had to change it to something what still held her Grandmother's memory but wasn't the exact replica.

"Please don't call me that." Ash says, looking up to meet his eyes. "Please."

"Okay." Derek nods, and he doesn't push it any further.

They both fall into an uncomfortable silence.

Deaton comes into the room holding a cup. He walks over to Ash, happy to see she's awake.

"Drink this." Deaton says, handing it to her.

The smell is enough to snap her out of her thoughts and make her cringe.

"What the hell is this?" Ash asks him.

"Cattle blood. It's the only way to keep your hunger down while I figure out how to make this cure." He tells her.

"Um..I'll be fine." She says, attempting to give it back to the Vet.

"I'm sorry, Ash. You have to drink it. You'll be too hungry otherwise. And if you were to feed-"

"I won't." Ash objects, offended.

"If you _were_ too, the cure won't work. You can't have a _single_ drop of human blood." Deaton says. "You have to drink that." He nods to her cupful of cattle blood.

Ash sighs, because she knows she should listen to Deaton, he knows what he's talking about.

She nods and reluctantly brings it to her lips. She drinks it as fast as she can, trying not to throw up.

Deaton takes the cup from her when she's done, the girl holding her hand over her mouth because she really feels like she might be sick.

"Thanks, Doc." Derek says, rubbing Ash's back gently.

Deaton nods and decides to leave again, give Ash some space because his blood will smell more inviting than ever now after drinking that. But he'd rather the smell get to her instead of her actually feeding on him, not just for his sake but for hers too.

Ash glances at Derek before quickly looking away again. She certainly didn't expect that to come out of his mouth.

"Um.." She starts.

Derek meets her eyes. waiting for her to speak.

"Did Scott tell you?" She asks.

"No." Derek shakes his head.

Ash nods, grateful her brother has kept her secret.

"Can you tell me about them? About your Grandparents?" Derek asks her.

Ash is stunned, just like Derek was when Ash asked the exact same questions about his family all those weeks ago.

But she snaps out of it, trying to find something to say back to that.

"Maybe another day." She gives the same answer he did.

But that's okay for Derek, so he nods.

He leans in and kisses her temple.

Ash leans her head against his chest, because his scent she finds she doesn't mind as much as the others. Well, she has slept with it underneath her a lot more than once, and she's only freshly turned so it's understandable. She dreads the time she'll wake up and screw her face up at his as well though.

"I just want to be human again." Ash says quietly with a sad frown.

"You will be." Derek assures her and she cuddles a little closer to his chest.

..

Stiles drives Jessie back to the lofts.

They're grabbing clothes and some food because everyone wants to wait out Ash's 'recovery' at the animal clinic.

Jade, of course for her own safety, is now in Nevada with her Aunt. Just until this is all over.

Jessie's in her room, grabbing some clothes for herself while Stiles gets Scott some over at the McCall loft.

She walks down the stairs, ready to leave with some of her's, Derek's and Isaac's, even some food too, when she spots a letter on the floor. It looks like it's been slipped under the door.

"Again? Really?" Jessie sighs, putting everything down so she can pick it up.

The lady at the receptionist desk has a habit of doing that if they don't pick their mail up in a day's time, otherwise she has too much and things get lost. It makes sense, Jessie just doesn't like it.

She picks it up off the floor and tears into it with her teeth.

She unfolds it, perking up when she sees the Beacon Hills Memorial Hospital logo in the top right hand corner though.

" _Finally_." She says. "Now, what can you tell me, Doc?" She asks herself, reading through the letter.

It doesn't take long for Jessie to freeze, her eyes widening as she looks down at the words on the page.

She lets out a disbelieved huff. She has to sit down on the sofa before her knees give way.

"Oh, my God." Jessie breathes out.

She runs her hand through her hair stressfully, the down her face too.

She hides her eyes behind her hand, like she can erase what she's just read.

Just to be sure, Jessie peaks through her fingers. And, sure enough, the same words are still there, staring up at her.

Printed.

Bold black font.

Capitals.

Clear as day.

 _No wonder she felt ill_.

..

..

 **Well, I hope the extra wait was worth it for this chapter! Good news for Ash about a cure, but maybe some not so good news for Jessie.. And, I hope you understood all the stuff about Ash's real name. I was iffy about it but..I actually like the unexpected twist personally I just feel like, ever since I started writing this and only calling her Ash instead of Ashlee like I usually do, I needed to do something more with the name. And this just came to me..and it felt right so I went with it! So, the fall of Dash and the rise of Dashlyn..that's if they've worked past their silly fight that is :P Favourite, follow and review!**


	53. Cure

**Shout out to:**

 ***AlphaWolf19: Yay, a cure! I'm glad you like it! Wow, you really do understand, that's so cool! You will find out the bloodwork result soon enough! As in, in** _ **this**_ **chapter :D I think the idea of the Winchesters, because Dean** _ **absolutely**_ **flirt with Ash, hehe! Oh, well, I hope you get better very soon :) And thanks!**

 ***Serena Sterling: Hehe, poor Jacob! Yay, I'm glad you liked the name as well! You will see what's wrong with Jessie this chapter! You're welcome and thanks :)**

 ***jayesh dms (ch5): It's okay, but I do remember you, I started calling you JD as a nickname :P I'm really glad you like this one, I really enjoy writing it :) Oh, no, RRR was just a test drive of me using a new OC that would couple up with Stiles :) Sorry, but it does take awhile for Derek and Ash to 'get together' but they do have a few 'hey, I might like him/her' moments :3 I will keep writing!**

 ***jayesh dms (ch9): Hello, again :) Remember, no one knows what he's** _ **really**_ **like aside from Ash, not even the Sheriff. But, yes, you will see as you read on what happens!**

 ***jayesh dms (ch11): Yay :)**

 ***jayesh dms (ch12): I love writing derek x Jade moments so you will definitely get some!**

 **I know I always do this, but** _ **wow**_ **at the review count! Thank you all so much, you're so supportive and I just..argh! Thank you :3**

 **..**

"Okay, I can't do this anymore." Ash shakes her head, pushing the fresh cup of cattle blood away from her. "I can't drink this anymore."

"You have too." Derek tells her, pushing it back in front of her.

"No, screw that." She shakes her head.

"Are we having a problem?" Deaton asks, coming into the room with Scott not far behind him.

"Yes." Ash nods. "I'm not drinkng this shit anymore. Just change me back!" She exclaims. "I've done enough healing, I'll be fine!" She says.

Deaton shares a look with Scott, because they've talked about this.

"Then all that has to be done is the gathering of the last ingrediant." Deaton says.

"Oh, thank God." Ash sighs in relief. She's been sitting in this bed for a further 2 days and she's going crazy. She's had either Scott or Derek at her side. The others have only this evening returned to their own homes. And by own homes, I mean, Stiles went back to the Hale loft with Jessie and Isaac to spend the night considering it's getting dangerously close to midnight by now.

"What's the last ingrediant?" Derek asks, looking up at the Vet.

Deaton doesn't give him an answer, instead nods to the door.

Derek looks at Ash and then back to Deaton before standing up.

"Scott, you talk him through it, I'll check over Ash." Deaton says.

Ash watches with a light frown as Derek and Scott disappear out the door.

Deaton sits down beside Ash, looking at the girl.

"You're not hungry?" He asks her.

Ash looks away from the door her two boys just walked out of before looking at Deaton.

"I don't know. I mean, I am, but that stuff is so gross, I can't drink it." Ash says.

"I was worried this would happen." Deaton says, rubbing his chin with his index finger and thumb. "You're right, we need to change you back. Because if you're hungry but won't drink this-"

"Then it won't be long before I feed." Ash finishes for him, looking into her lap shamefully.

"Yeah." Deaton nods.

Derek and Scott come back into the room. But there's something wrong, Ash can tell by the look on Derek's face.

"Clear out a minute." Derek says to the other two.

Then Ash watches them leave the room, her frown deepening.

"Something's wrong, right?" She asks him.

Derek sits down in the chair closest to her, the chair he's been occupying more times than not.

"Derek.." Ash says, sitting up a little. Her pain is bearable now, she's had a couple days to heal by now, and that's with the super healing as well.

"What do you remember from the night we came and got you?" Derek asks her.

"What? Derek, what's going on-"

"Just tell me." He says.

"Fine. Um..I went to the nest, found Jacob there. He was..he was trying to force me to drink blood, finish the shift or something. I don't know, it all happened really fast. We were fighting then..I don't know, you all came and I blacked out." She tells him.

"So, you don't know what happened to them all then?" Derek asks, but he's stalling, because he doesn't know how she's going to take this news.

"No, I don't." She says. She sits up a little more. "What happened to them, Derek?"

"They're dead." Derek says, meeting her eyes with his green ones. "All of them. Including Jacob." He says.

Something does twist in Ash's gut as her eyes fall to her lap, but it's nowhere near as bad as when she found out her Mom died, or when Scott told them Derek had died either. It's small, because he did mean something to Ash, but that Vampire wasn't really Jacob anyway.

"We had to kill him, we didn't have a choice." Derek says.

Ash just nods.

"I'm sorry." Derek apologises even though he knows he shouldn't, he just fears what Jacob said will come true.

 _You can't kill me. Ash would hate you._

"Ash?" Derek says, ducking his head a little so he can look her in the eye because she's not responding to him.

"Don't be sorry." Ash finally answers him. She looks up, meeting his eyes too now. "It wasn't really him anyway." She says, because she's right. But it still does hurt. No matter who they are, if you lose someone, it hurts.

"Uh..did you do it?" She asks him. "Were you the one to kill him?"

Derek shakes his head, even though a huge part of him wishes he was the one to kill Jacob. But he knew someone else had to do it, that's why he let Peter. Because it wasn't about killing a creature that would hurt innocents or try to change them anymore, it became solely about getting revenge for Ash, for what he did to her in college, for how he's helped Eric in changing her, and how he would have tried to take her away from their pack. As much as that fuels his fire, makes him angry, and _strong_ , he never wants to lose control like he did with the Skinwalkers where Peter had to intervene because he wouldn't stop. He _couldn't_ stop.

"No, Peter did." He tells her. "He did it fast too. Jacob was dead before he felt it, I promise." He assures her.

"Okay." Ash nods.

They fall into quiet again.

"I needed you to know because..this last ingrediant?" Derek breaks the silence. "It's blood from the Vampire that turned you. We have to go back and get it." He tells her. "I just thought you should know the whole truth."

"Yeah. Thanks." She mumbles.

"Scott and I will be back soon." He promises her, because he hasnt left the animal clinic since they brough her in here, neither has Scott, and they sent the others home as not to overwhelm or _tempt_ her. "Deaton will stay here with you."

"Okay." Ash nods.

There's this stretch of silence that neither of them know how to fill. Because Derek wants to kiss her goodbye, and Ash is uncertain whether she wants that, and Derek's uncertain whether he should do that.

Ash kissed him days ago, because she was saying goodbye _for good_.

Neither of them really know where they stand right now.

"If I kiss you..are you gonna hit me?" Derek asks her, because she's a Vampire now, maybe a weakened one, but she could still hurt him if she really wanted too.

"Now that's a chance you gonna decide whether you'll take or not." Ash says, because she's unsure.

Derek doesn't hear the word 'yes', so he goes for it.

Just like the first time they ever kissed, when his lips touch her's, her hands come up like she's going to push him away. But she doesn't. Her hands rest of his chest gently and she lets him kiss her.

Derek pulls back, looking at the girl.

"You're braver than I thought." Ash says, looking back at him.

"It was worth it." He says back before standing back up. He comes forward again, kissing her cheek this time. "If you need me, call out and I'll be here, I promise." He says quietly.

Ash nods and Derek pulls back again. He walks out the door, going to Scott's side.

Ash exhales and lays back againist her resting bed again. She doesn't want this odd seperation between her and Derek, but things have definitely been different since he said those things about her still loving Jacob. Of course she doesn't love Jacob, he broke her heart the bastard. Ash only has time for _one_ man, and that's Derek. But she needs Derek to be able to see that, otherwie them being together could never work, it could never be real.

..

Jessie can't sleep. She's held onto this secet, this _life changing_ secret for 2 whole days. She feels like she might explode.

Stiles wakes up, because there's nothing warm hugged into him. He opens his eyes slowly blinking away sleepiness and notices Jessie's not even in bed with him.

The male pushes the blankets off of him and finds the floor, walking towards her room door.

He goes downstairs, stopping at the bottom when he sees her.

She sits on the sofa, hugging around one of her knees, a folded up sheet of white paper in her hand.

"Jess?" Stiles says sleepily.

She turns to him, quickly tucking the paper under her other leg.

"I'm fine, Stiles, get back in bed." She says.

But Stiles knows that's a lie.

He walks over to her, sitting down beside her on the sofa.

"I know when something's up with you, Jess, and something's up with you right now." Stiles says, looking at her. "You've been distant the last couple days, and I know it's not just about this thing with Ash."

Jessie bites her bottom lip, unsure whether she should reveal the news or not. She knows she should, she just doesn't really know how. She's terrified of how he'll react as well. I mean, what if he doesn't want this? She can't do it alone, she needs him, she _loves_ him.

"Babe, c'mon, what's wrong?" Stiles asks her.

Jessie turns to him, locking eyes with him.

"Do you love me, Stiles?" She asks him seriously.

"Of course I do. Why would you ask me that?" Stiles says with a frown.

Jessie sighs, looking back down into her lap.

"Jessie, please, what's going on?" Stiles asks, getting worried. "You're scaring me." He says.

Jessie looks back up at him, because that's exactly what she _didn't_ want to do.

"Something's happened, something that's going to change _a lot_ of things." Jessie says.

"Whatever it is, I'll always be here for you, I'll always love you." Stiles assures her, seeing she's having trouble coming out with it. "Hey." He says, putting her hand over her's. "You can tell me."

Jessie nods, still chewing on the words.

"Derek couldn't detect my sickness by scent. I listened to you both and went to the doctors, in case it was something serious, you know?" She briefs him.

Stiles nods, remembering that day.

"Baby, whatever it is, we'll work something out." Stiles says when she doesn't continue on.

"I know." Jessie nods. "But um..my results came back. I found the letter when we came here for clothes." Jessie says.

"That was two days ago, Jess, you should had told me something was wrong sooner." Stiles lectures. But then he sees the look on her face. "I..I'm sorry." He apologises.

Jessie nods as she brings the folded up letter out from under her leg. She doesn't do anything with it, just looks down at it.

"Can I?" Stiles asks with a deepened frown of worry, seeing her just stare at it. She nods and Stiles takes it into his own hands, unfolding it. He looks down at it and reads it, freezing up in shock just like she did when she read it.

 _Miss Jessie Anna-Lee Hale_

 _Result:_

 _Serum Pregnancy Test-POSITIVE_

It's quiet for a long time.

"You're.." Stiles says, stunned.

"Yeah." Jessie nods. "I am. Um..surprise.." She says awkwardly, not sure how he feels about this news. She gets nervous when Stiles doesn't say anything. It gets to her, it really does, until she's crying and she can't stop. She's had some up and down emotions in the last few weeks especially, everyone's noticed at one time or another..now she knows why.

Stiles turns to her when he hears her start to cry.

"Hey, it's okay." He says, pulling her into his embrace, hugging her.

Jessie grips his shirt tightly, crying into it because she has no idea what to do, she has no idea what happenes now. She's _scared_.

"Jess, we're gonna figure all of this out, I promise." He assures her, trying to soothe the crying girl best he can in his own shocked state.

Jessie nods and stays clinging to him, her hormones spiking so much she can't stop the overflow of tears.

..

It's closer to 2 in the morning when Scott and Derek come back into the animal clinic.

Ash hears them, and _smells_ them, sitting up in her bed.

Deaton, from across the room, sees her and looks over at the door too.

Scott comes in first, holding something in his hand, Derek behind him.

"Is that it?" Deaton asks Scott.

"Yeah, it's full too." Scott says, handing it over to him.

Ash sees a syringe full of a very dark liquid.

Vampire blood.

"That's good. This will work." Deaton nods. He goes over to his other counter and begins pulling down jars from the shelf.

"How are you feeling, Ash?" Scott asks, sitting down beside her.

"Nervous." She answers honestly, glancing over at where Deaton's working with his back to them.

Jars and jar lids pop and clink. Something splashes into a cup, followed by another untempting sound.

And the smell..argh, it's worse than the cattle blood.

"You'll be fine." Scott says.

"You said it'd be worse than the pain." Ash reminds him.

"I know that, but you'll be you again, so it's worth it, right?" Scott asks.

"Yeah." Ash nods.

"Okay." Deaton turns around, holding a clear glass full with a disgusting coloured liquid that smells worse and worse the closer he gets to her. "Drink this, all of it." Deaton says, putting it in her hand.

Ash sniffs it and almost throws up.

"What the hell is in this? It's worse than the cattle blood." She objects, screwing her face up.

"Trust me, it's better you don't know." Deaton says, making all three of them look at him with frowns.

"That was very comforting, thanks." Ash says sarcastically. "Okay." She hypes herself up, trying to ignore the smell of it.

She puts it to her lips, drinking the horrific liquid as fast as she can. The taste is..there's no words to describe that horror.

"Here, she's gonna need it." Deaton says, grabbing a bucket.

But he isn't fast enough.

Ash jumps out of bed, because she needs a toilet or a-

Sink!

She rushes over to the sink, burying her face in it as litres of burning black liquid is forced up her throat.

"What the hell?" Scott asks, frowning angrily at Deaton as he and Derek rush over to her.

"It's part of the process, I told you it wouldn't be a joyride." Deaton reminds them.

Derek pulls her hair back, because she's got long hair and it's getting right in her way.

Scott rubs her back gently, hating how black snakes creep up his arm and he feels the intensity of this painful transition.

When she's done, she all but collapses, Derek catching her before she hits the ground.

"Wait, it's okay." Derek says, catching her in his arms, slowly lowering her towards the floor. "I got you." He tells her, sitting down on the floor, cradling the girl in his arms as flashes of images fly behind her eyes.

 _She sees the pink roses Derek brought up._

 _Jacob coming to her door._

 _They bump into each other at the coffee shop._

 _Jacob's in hospital._

 _Ash investigating the resturant._

 _She sees Eric for the first time._

 _She feels the burning in her hand as the mark's burnt into her palm._

 _Then she's in the hospital, and Jacob is about to attack her but doesn't._

 _She's dragged into the woods and bitten._

 _The rest is vague, her coming into the nest, the fight breaking out._

 _And that's it._

 _Then it's just black._

"Ash?" Scott says, kneeling down beside her and Derek.

Derek looks up at him with a worried look, because she's stopped moving.

"No..it should have worked." Deaton says, confused.

Then Ash starts coughing.

Relief fills all three of them, only to be replaced with worry again when she squirms in pain.

Her eyes burn, so much different, so much worse, compared to crying.

All they can do is watch as the red ring around her irises burns a deep red then fades away until it's gone.

She falls back against Derek again, feeling like she's out of breath.

Then it's her hand.

She grits her teeth, unable to stop the cry that leaves her lips as the ring in her palm burns a bright pink then fades away too.

She completely collapses in Derek's arms, feeling like she's just run a marathon, completely exhausted.

"Is that it? Did it work?" Scott asks, looking up at Deaton. "Ash?" He says, looking down at her.

She can't really make words, so she just nods. Because she feels like that horrible feeling has passed, and she can't smell every little thing anymore, and she's no longer hungry. Well, not for blood, but she could go for a burger and a beer right now, maybe a cigarette too.

"Oh, god." Scott sighs in relief, leaning his head on her shoulder.

"You should take her home and get her comfy, the next two days are going to be rough too." Deaton tells them.

Ash looks at him with a defeated look. She can't go through that again.

"Nothing that bad, it's just going to be.. You're not _completely_ human just yet, but you're well on your way." Deaton tells her.

"Thank you." Ash manages to say weakly, because she can't express her gratitude to the man that just gave her her life back. There's no words for it.

Both Scott and Derek look at him, giving him thankful nods too. Because he's just saved their girl.

"Take her home, boys." Deaton says.

Scott gets to his feet as Derek hooks his arms under Ash's legs so he can stand up and carry her, because, as you can imagine, walking is the last thing she wants to do right now.

Scott can't help but pull the Vet into an embrace, because that's his sister and there's no way he could have let her be one of those things, and he couldn't lose her either. Deaton gave them a third choice, he _saved_ Ash.

"Your place." Ash says quietly, making Derek look down at her.

"My place?" He repeats.

Ash nods, cringing a little in pain.

"Your bed's comfier."

..

Jessie's not long stopped crying when her and Stiles both hear the front door being pulled open.

They both shoot up from the sofa when they see the weak girl in Derek's arms.

"Oh, my God." Jessie says.

"Is she okay?" Stiles asks.

"She's gonna be fine, the cure just needs a couple more days." Derek says, making his way over to his room as Scott stops beside Jessie and Stiles.

"Um..why's he taking her into his room?" Stiles asks Scott quietly. "I thought they were..you know, broken up or something?"

"I don't think they could ever 'break up', no matter what happens." Scott says as he watches Derek practically tuck her into his bed, making sure she's warm and comfortable.

"I've never seen him this way before, never, only with her." Jessie says.

Scott looks at her, then notices her eyes are red and she smells of salt.

"Hey, what's wrong?" Scott asks her.

"It's okay, we're figuring it out." Stiles says to him, because they're not ready for people to know just yet.

"Okay." Scott nods, knowing Stiles was being vague on purpose. But he also knows Stiles will come to him if he needs help, so he doesn't push either of them for anymore answers.

Derek brushes her hair out of her face and notices she's starting to go through some more of the stages Deaton talked about already.

She's sweating, already becoming too hot.

"You wanna have a cold shower?" Derek asks her.

"Too sore." Ash shakes her head.

"I could.." He doesn't finish his sentence. He _could_ get in with her, help with the pain. "Get some sleep, I'm gonna take the sofa-"

"No." Ash says, catching his arm. "Stay in here with me, please." She says, looking up at him.

"Are you sure?" Derek asks her.

Ash nods, letting him go. She definitely needs some security right now, she needs to feel _safe_ and looked after. Derek and Scott can do that before than anyone. But Derek can do it in ways Scott can't.

"Okay. Just hold on." Derek says. He leaves the room, going over to the three teenagers.

Straight away he notices his sister's been upset.

"Jess, what's wrong?" He asks her.

Jessie shakes her head.

"Nothing, I'm okay now." She says, and it isn't really a lie.

Stiles held her for almost _3 hours_ , cuddling her and tellng her it'd be okay, promising to be there for her, it made her feel a lot better.

"How's Ash doing?" Stiles asks him, not wanting the alpha to dwell on the subject for too long because him and Jessie have both decided to keep it to themselves until at least Ash is better. The last thing anyone else needs is stress.

"Not that good, but she'll be okay." Derek says. He turns to Scott next. "She's gonna stay here with me tonight." He says.

Jessie and Stiles stay quiet, because Scott's about as protective of Ash as Derek is of Jessie. And in Ash's injuired state, it's even worse.

Scott looks at the alpha, his mind jumping between agreeing and refusing.

"I'm gonna stay too then." Scott says, because that's the only inbetween he can think of.

"Okay." Derek nods, because he knows that too. "Take the sofa."

"Then where will you sleep?" Scott asks him.

Once again, Jessie and Stiles keep quiet, their eyes darting between the two wolves.

Derek smiles, just a little.

"Goodnight, Scott." Is all he gives for an answer before going back into his room, shutting the door behind him.

Jessie and Stiles look at each other before looking at Scott.

"Hmm." Scott says, sitting down on the sofa.

"Okay..well.." Stiles says, scratching the back of his neck awkwardly. He takes Jessie's paper, because leaving it around for someone else to find and read would be a very _bad_ move. "We're gonna head to bed as well then." He says.

"Night, Scott." Jessie says.

"Night, guys." Scott says.

Stiles claps his best friend over the shoulder before taking his girlfriend's hand and leading her up the stairs to her room.

Scott takes the blanket off the back of the sofa and drapes it over himself, laying back againist the cushions.

Derek slips into bed beside Ash, unsure of how this works now. Are they on good terms or bad? Neutral, maybe? Who knows? The Vampire thing has sort of.. _complicated_ the already very complicated.

"Still hot?" Derek asks her.

"No." Ash shakes her head. "Freezing now." She shivers.

 _She'll go from very hot, to very cold, quickly._

"Come here." Derek says, moving closer to her.

Ash doesn't even think twice about it, she cuddles close to him, stealing any warmth she can, even Derek can feel how icy her skin is.

"Sleep now, Ash." He says, pressing a kiss to her temple.

Ash is too tired to answer, she just shuts her eyes, slipping to sleep.

..

..

 **Well, she's almost human again! Yay! And yes, Jessie's pregnant! So, this fic won't be finishing just yet! I have an idea..it's a little crazy, but I wrote it to see where it'd take me and I actually really like it, it's a Dashlyn/Dash scene. It's a big step,** _ **huge**_ **, but it's not 'I love you', I've decided they will never say those words to each other and I have no problems with that decision either! But that doesn't mean it's not true, they're just never going to say it out-loud. So, I'm going to mull it over so more and maybe insert it somewhere towards the end :) Favourite, follow and review!**


	54. I'm Here

**Shout out to:**

 **I will do all of jayesh dms ones first, you other reviewers will find your replies underneth :)**

 ***jayesh dms (ch17): I don't like him in the show, I don't know, I don't like Rafael's character.**

 ***jayesh dms (ch18): Yes, they look into evidence eventually :) And thanks! Yes, the Sheriff knows about the supernatural.**

 ***jayesh dms (ch20): :)**

 ***jayesh dms (ch21): Stiles will have his protective moments!**

 ***jayesh dms (ch23): You'll find out.. :P**

 ***jayesh dms (ch24): I'm trying to break their hearts because I'm evil :P**

 ***jayesh dms (ch25): I was thinking it'd be Scott to get the truth from her but it felt right for it to be Derek instead :) Yes, Jacob shouldn't feel hurt because it's his own fault!**

 ***jayesh dms (ch26): Hmm..you'll form more of an opinion on him later on.**

 ***jayesh dms (ch27): Thank you :) They don't have those kinds of talks for a little while.**

 ***jayesh dms (ch28): You are 100% right :P**

 ***jayesh dms (ch29): He pulls some strings, but not all the right ones!**

 ***jayesh dms (ch30): Thanks, I'm glad you did :) It's fine, everyone has their own ship names, you don't have to use mine :)**

 ***jayesh dms (ch32): It does a little bit..but not completely.**

 ***jayesh dms (ch36): Hmm..I don't know if there's any of that, but he does have a couple moments I think.**

 ***jayesh dms (ch39): I may in the future! Hehe, I like to write Dash fluff sometimes :)**

 ***jayesh dms (ch40): You'll see!**

 ***jayesh dms (ch41): Finally! Thanks :) We'll have to see!**

 ***jayesh dms (ch42): Thanks, I don't really like to follow the show anymore, it's too predictable, even with your own spins on it. Hehe, someone had to catch them in bed, I thought it'd be the perfect way for Ash to tell her Aunt and Uncle that she's with Derek :) No one for Scott and Isaac, there's enough relationships around them, they're happy on their own for now :)**

 **Okay! The other reviews from last chapter now!**

 ***AlphaWolf19: Yes, Derek will be finding out soon..and Stiles' live might be in danger :P Yes, I want to make it so Jessie has the baby before the end, that's why I'll be time jumping soon. No, I could never kill Ash, well, not for good :P Dash is..they're figuring it out, you'll see more of that this chapter, and a lot more in the next chapter! I think they 'baddies' part is over for this fic, maybe.. , but I want to focus more on the family side of things, and the relationship side as it comes to a close :) Thanks!**

 ***nikavin: Thank you, that's so nice :) I don't really know, every time I go to write 'I love you' from one of their mouths..it just feels wrong. But, I am retracting my statement of them _never_ saying it because I do have a few ideas. Yes, Derek's reaction.. Their Aunt and Uncle just think Jade is coming to stay with them, because from the very beginning when Melissa first passed, Hailey did say they'd do a joint custody thing even though Jade and Scott are under Ash's guardianship. So, no, the Aunt and Uncle do not know of the supernatural life because Scott and Ash want to protect them from it :) Thanks for coming out of the shadows and reviewing, it's nice to hear from someone new :)**

 ***Serena Sterling: Yay! Double yay! Everyone's looking forward to his reaction :P They might say it later on, I'm still trying to write a good scene for it, but they do show it more with their actions, like they have since they 'hooked up'. Like in the way he protects her, and in the way Ash takes care of him in different ways too, the way they open up to each other, those sorts of things are all silent little ' _I really care about you_ 's :) You're welcome and thanks!**

 **..**

In the Hale loft, both females spend their mornings with their heads in a toilet.

Jessie, morning sickness.

Ash, the curing process.

Both males, Stiles and Derek, hold their hair out of their face, patiently sitting with them, waiting for it to stop.

"You okay, baby?" Stiles asks, rubbing Jessie's back as she sits back, leaning into his chest.

"Not really." Jessie says, wiping her mouth with her hand. "Oh, God. I'm sorry, this is probably a huge turn-off for you." She says.

"No, it's okay." Stiles says. "I'm here for you."

"Are you sure you wanna be?" Jessie asks him.

"Yeah." Stiles nods, his hand slipping over her flat stomach. "I'm positive." He smiles, rubbing gently where _his baby_ is sitting comfortably.

Jessie smiles back and leans in to kiss him but quickly pulls back.

"Good call." Stiles nods, helping her to her feet so she can brush her teeth first.

Ash leans back against the wall, groaning as she covers her face because she feels like..well, _shit_ , if she's being honest.

"How bad is it?" Derek asks her, leaning against the wall beside her.

"Not that bad." Ash lies, because her stomach, and head, are churning and twisting and she feels inside out right now.

"Wanna get back in bed?" Derek asks her.

"No." Ash shakes her head. "I'm starving." She says.

"Then c'mon, let's make something." Derek says, getting to his feet and holding his hands out to her.

Ash looks at him for a second, because he's been unbelievably sweet to her despise their distance as of late. But she puts her hands into his and he helps her to her feet.

But she doesn't stop there, she threads her arms past his face, wrapping them around his neck and hugging him. She shuts her eyes, just leaning into him and hugging him close to her.

"You okay?" Derek asks in her ear, bringing his arms around her back.

Ash nods but doesn't let him go.

"Are you sure?" Derek asks her, keeping his arms around her as well though.

Ash shakes her head this time, being honest.

"You'll feel better soon." He tells her.

"Thanks for being here for me." She says, pulling back to look at him.

"I'll always be right here." He tells her.

Ash smiles a little, brushing her nose against his.

Derek brushes her nose back and leans in.

Ash puts her hands on his chest, stopping him.

Derek exhales softy, leaning his forehead against hers.

"Sorry." He says.

"No, it's not that." Ash says, pulling back. "But I just threw up." She reminds him, screwing up her face a little bit.

"Right." Derek nods, a big part of him smug that she wasn't just rejecting him all together. He leans back in and kisses her cheek. "C'mon, let's get you something to eat."

..

 _Later that day_

Scott goes over to the Hale loft to check on Ash.

He walks in, they're all a little past knocking at this point. He slows, spotting them on the sofa.

Derek looks up at Scott, bringing his finger to his lips.

Because Ash is asleep, laying on the sofa with her head in Derek's lap, his hand racking through her hair.

Scott quietly walks over to them both, crotching down beside Ash. He puts the back of his hand to her forehead feather lightly.

"She's warm" Scott says quietly before taking his hand away and sitting down on the other sofa.

"It was bad last night. Deaton was right, she's been hot, cold all day." Derek tells him, just as quiet, because he doesn't want to wake her.

"But she's getting better?" Scott asks.

"A little, yeah." Derek nods, his hand still brushing through her hair. "She was sick this morning but hasn't been again today. She has almost no pain either."

"You care about her a lot, don't you?" Scott asks him, because he's just looking at her softly, brushing her hair to keep her relaxed, comfortable and asleep.

Derek looks away from her, looking up at Scott now.

"More than you may think." He nods.

"Do you love her?" Scott asks him.

Derek hand in her hair stops and he tenses up. But he relaxes again, raking over her scalp again. He looks up at Scott but he doesn't answer him, just looks at him.

Scott didn't really think he'd get an answer anyway, he just thought while they were on the subject he could slip the question in there and _maybe_ learn how Derek _really_ feels.

"Can you promise me something then?" Scott asks him, because he's not getting an answer to that question.

"What's that?" Derek answers this time.

"That when she's better, you'll fix this break between you two." Scott says. "We can all see it. And I don't like it, she's not happy, and neither are you." He says.

"I know." Derek says, because what's the point in trying to say it's otherwise, he isn't happy, and he knows she isn't either. "And I will fix it, I promise."

"Good." Scott nods.

Scott looks in the directon of the stairs, wondering where everyone else is.

"Where's Jessie? Isaac?" Scott asks, looking back over at Derek.

"Isaac went to the school, he wanted to get some lacrosse practice in." Derek tells him. "And Jessie, she's upstairs with Stiles. She seems pretty exhausted, I think." He says, because his sister and Stiles have been in bed all day. Stiles said something about movies and popcorn, but Derek could see how restless Jessie was, so he's left them alone and just looked after Ash.

"So..any chance Ash is coming home tonight?" Scott asks.

"I don't think so." Derek answers. "She said she wants to stay again. I don't think she wants to go home until she's really _her_ again, and Jade can come home too."

"Derek.." Scott sighs. "You have to give her back, you do know that right?"

"She's not a dog." Derek frowns.

"I know that." Scott says, rolling his eyes. "I know you wanna look after her, protect her and whatever but she has a toddler to look after. She can't stay here forever."

"Yeah, well..when she's better we'll look after Jade." Derek says, because even if Ash feels as though she's slowly dying as the cure works through her body, he has enjoyed being close to her again. He hasn't enjoyed their seperation, so he's thankful they can at least share a bed again, he just wishes she was well again. But he's not admitting that out-loud.

"Wait, hold on." Scott says, holding his hand up. "Did you say _we_?" He repeats.

There's a pause of silence as Derek realises he did in fact say 'we', meaning Ash and _him_.

"Yeah." Derek answers after another beat, because there's no point in denying it.

"What, the big bad alpha decides he wants to be a Dad?" Scott asks, a smirk creeping to his lips, because he enjoys teasing Derek.. _when he knows he can get away with it_.

"Scott." Derek warns, but it's barely a real threat.

"You want kids of your own?" Scott asks, becoming serious again.

"Scott." Derek says again, because he can't have this conversation when Ash is sleeping right in his lap, and he can't have it with her little brother either.

"C'mon, don't be so sour, just answer the question." Scott says. "Do you want kids? And do you want them with her?" Scott asks, glancing down at Ash.

Jessie's about to come downstairs for a glass of water. But then she hears Scott and Derek talking. So, she stops and listens instead, even more curious for his answer than Scott is.

"C'mon." Scott coaxes.

"Jesus Christ." Derek sighs, knowing Scott's not giving in on this one. "Okay, when I was younger..maybe. But now? After the fire? I..I can't." Derek says, looking at Ash so he doesn't have to look at Scott.

"What do you mean you can't?" Scott asks him. "Oh.." He realises, maybe Derek actually _can't_..reproduce.

"No, I _can_ , I just..can't." Derek corrects him.

"Derek, that doesn't make sense-"

"I'm 22 years old and I barely have my own life together. I couldn't be responsible for another person, a _baby_. I'm not exactly a role model either, Scott. I've killed before, more than once. I can't bring that to a dinner table with a child. I couldn't be a father, not a good one." Derek says. "That wouldn't be fair to the baby, or to her." Derek says, because their really is no one else Derek can think of that he'd start a family with other than Ash, even if he's never told her that before.

Jessie finds those words sting her a lot.

She's 18 and pregnant. She can't really say she has her life together. She can't say she's a role model either. Yes, she was nervous because she knows her and Stiles eventually need to tell Derek, but hearing that just made her feel a lot worse.

Her glass of water is forgotten as she goes into the bathroom instead, closing the door behind her.

"I guess that makes sense." Scott nods.

Derek's feeling a little uncomfortable, so he decides to flip it on Scott.

"What about you? You must want kids, right?" He asks the younger male.

"I do." Scott nods. "A little girl, and maybe a boy. But the boy would have to be older so he could kick ass for her." Scott smiles.

Derek smiles a little too, becuase that makes sense, that's probably how he'd want it too. He'd have to have a little princess, but he'd also need a son to look after her at school.

It's strange though. Because every time he thinks of 'his little princess', all he sees is Jade. Jade who reminds him so much of his own baby sister, Cora. Jade who he knows he's quite protective of. Jade who _isn't his child_.

"Hey, you okay?" Scott asks, seeing the alpha's eyebrows furrow and a distant look come to his face.

"Uh..yeah, I'm fine." Derek nods, coming out of his thoughts.

"Okay." Scott nods. He checks his phone. "Okay, well, I just wanted to check in on her, I gotta get to work. I'm doing some overtime with Deaton as a thank you for what he did for Ash."

"That's good, he'll appreciate that." Derek says.

Scott nods and stands up.

"Well..I want to tell you to look after her but I don't think I need too." Scott says.

"No, you don't." Derek shakes his head, because he'll protect Ash with his life. And he'll be here to watch over her and keep her comfortable as she continues to go through this curing process.

"Okay, I'll see you later then." Scott nods.

"Bye." Derek says.

"Bye." Scott says. He looks at Ash for a moment longer before turning and leaving.

Derek exhales deeply, rubbing his hand down his face. He knew Scott would want to check on his sister, but Derek had no idea his 'visit' would turn into all of _that_.

..

 _The next day_

"You feeling okay? Feeling sick or something?" Stiles asks Jessie.

"No." She shakes her head. "I'm okay."

Stiles notices Jessie been quieter since yesturday. They've gotten past the shock of the preganancy, because this is happening whether they're ready or not, so Stiles knows it's not that that's bothering her.

Jessie pushes her grilled tomato around on her plate.

Stiles wanted to get her out of the loft today, so he brought her into town and to the coffee place for breakfast, well, more lunch by this time.

"Hey." Stiles reaches over the table, putting his hand over hers.

Jessie looks up at him.

"What's going on?" He asks her. "Something going on with the baby?" He asks her, keeping his voice right down.

"No..no, everything's fine." Jessie shakes her head.

"What's bothering you then?" Stiles asks her.

"It's nothing, it's stupid." Jessie mumbles.

"No, it's not." Stiles shakes his head. He gets up and slides into the booth beside her. "What's going on, Jess?"

"Can we..take a walk? I don't wanna do this here." She says, looking around at all the other people occupying the dining area.

"Yeah, sure." Stiles nods. He gets up, holding her hand and helping her out.

They begin walking out and Stiles gives the waitress a grateful smile as she begins clearing their table.

Their hands stay together as they walk, their fingers threading through each other's.

"C'mon, let's sit down by the water." Stiles says, leading her to the river side.

He goes in front manovering a safe route down the small grassy slopes until they reach the water. Stiles kicks his shoes and socks off, Jessie slipping out of her ballet flats. They both go and sit down, dipping their feet into the water.

"So.." Stiles says, looking at her, still holding her hand. "What's up?"

"Stiles, this baby..do you think we can acutally do this?" Jessie asks him seriously.

"Of course we can. Well, we're gonna have too. But I think we can." He answers.

"Because..I overheard Derek and Scott talking about kids and..I don't know if I can be a Mom, Stiles. I don't know if I can handle this sort of thing, I just..I-I don't know." She says, tears starting to swarm in her eyes.

"Hey, hey, hey." Stiles says, turning to her and putting his hand on her cheek. "You're gonna be a great Mom, Jess. I promise. And I'm gonna be the best Dad I can be, I promise you that as well."

"Stiles, this is a _child_. How are we gonna support it, feed it, look after it?" She asks him, sniffling.

"School's finished, I'm looking for a job anyway." Stiles tells her. "Jessie, we can get help, I'm sure the pack will help us if we really need it." He assures her.

"Yeah, that's if Derek ever speaks to me again after I tell him." Jessie sighs, wiping her cheek as a tear falls down it.

"Hey, Derek wouldn't do that to you." Stiles tells her. "Yeah, he's going to need a minute, they all will, but they'll _always_ be there for us, I promise you." Stiles swears.

"I'm fucking terrified, Stiles." Jessie admits, her watery blue eyes locking onto his whiskey eyes.

"You don't need to be scared, Jess." He says, wiping his thumbs under her eyes to catch the tears that continue to escape. "You will _never_ be alone. I will _always_ be here. You have my word." He says. "So, no more talk like that, okay? We're going to do this, and we're going to do it right. We'll go to the doctor's, get you checked up, and figure it out from there, alright?"

"Yeah." Jessie nods.

"Yeah?"

"Yeah." Jessie smiles, because Stiles always has a way of soothing her and making her feel better.

"I love you, so much." Stiles says, taking her face into his hands.

"I love you too." Jessie says.

Stiles leans forward and kisses her lips before pulling her into a hug, the pregnant girl hugging him back tightly, burying her face into his neck.

..

 _That night_

Ash rolls over in bed, resting her chin on Derek's chest.

This causes the male to wake up. He looks down, finding Ash is looking at him. He's about to ask if she's okay but she speaks before he can.

"They were like my best friends." She says. "My Grandparents."

Derek pauses, realising she's decided she will open up about them, like she said she would.

"I mean, I didn't have too many friends in high school. I had the band that I used to sing with, we were all close. But other people, they were just school hang-arounds, you know? There was no _real_ bond there. But the band..they're basically all guys so..there were things I couldn't talk to them about. And when Rafael-" Derek still feels mad at the mention of the man's name. "-started leaving all the time, and Mom was always working, I..I had them. They were always there. The both of them." Ash tells him.

"They sound like good people." Derek says, looking at her still.

"They were." Ash says, dropping her eyes to his chest. "I just.." She sighs, burying her face into his skin, because she doesn't talk about this, she hasn't for a couple years now.

"It's okay, Ash." Derek says, putting his hand on her back.

She looks back up at him, laying her head against his chest.

"They were the ones that were there when no one else was." She goes on. "My Grandmother had cancer once before she got it again and passed. She bet it, and we were all really proud and so relieved. And not even a month later, she was sick again, and then another month..and she was gone. And God, it hurt so much, I'd never lost anyone like that before. It really crushed me, you know? Really badly. I couldn't be at home, because she should have been there too, but she wasn't. I don't even know what I did for those two weeks I was away, I just surfed through people's place, I guess. I guess I was trying to run from it, I don't really know. But I loved her so much, both of them so much. I couldn't help but get upset whenever someone called me by my real name, because it just reminded me of Grandma. But I got better, and I went home. Then a few months later, I lost Granddad too and..I didn't think could handle that much hurt. I mean, it was so bad and..I just..I couldn't handle it. And I couldn't hear people call me.. _Ashlyn_ -" Ash fumbles over the name. "-because..I'm not her. I could never be her. It just _hurt_ every time I heard it so..I had to change it. But I love my Grandmother so I just shortened it. I still wanted to keep the memory alive, I just couldn't be reminded of her every time someone said my name." Ash says. "So..that's why I changed it."

Derek nods slowly, because it does make sense, he can understnd that.

"I think it's a beautful name, and I think she'd want you to keep it." Derek says carefully. "Your Mom too."

"Derek.." Ash sighs, shaking her head and sitting up.

"I'm not trying to guilt trip you, I'm trying to help you." He says, sitting up as well.

Ash just fidgets, because she doesn't know what to say.

"Not visiting Peter all those years when he was in hospital wasn't just because he wouldn't talk or move. Laura, Jessie and I moving away after the fire wasn't just because we didn't have a home. And barely visiting the cementry isn't just because we all feel guilty either." Derek says.

Ash looks back up at him now.

"It _hurts_. And it will _always_ hurt. It will _never_ not hurt. But when you love someone, when you'd do _anything_ to protect them, hurt is part of the package. Sometimes it's intentional, sometimes it isn't, but if you truely love someone, they will hurt you at some point. It's just the way things are." Derek says to her. "Whether it's by leaving you living while they're gone..or whether it's by some stupid fight, they will hurt you." Derek says, locking eyes with her.

Ash feels her whole stomach flip inside out, because she knows he's talking about her in there too, but does that mean that he's saying he loves her? And that means she hurt him. She _hurt_ him.

"Being home, being back in Beacon Hills, it does hurt. Not just me either, Jessie too, and it hurt Laura too when she was..still here. But the pain is worth it. Because now Peter's out of hospital, because now Jessie and I have a new home, and now we have a pack and something we can call family. We're happy. And that could have _all_ been different if we stayed away, if we shyed away from that pain." He says.

"I know that, and I'm glad you and Jessie are here and that you're happy, I really am." Ash says. "But our pain is not the same."

"No, it isn't." Derek agrees, because he was the one that told her that weeks ago. "Listen, I'm not telling you to go and change your name back, or to reveal the truth to everyone but..if every once in a while, I called you _that_ -" Ash's eyes snap to his. "-you should be okay with that." He finishes.

Ash thinks it over, for a long time too. They sit in silence for a few long moments that turn to a few long minutes.

"I'll try." Ash finally says. Becuase that's all she can do, is try. And she will, because Derek is right. The pain is worth it if Scott gets to remember his Grandmother when he looks at her and hear's her name, for Ash herself too.

"Okay." Derek nods, because all he can ask is that she tries, he can't expect her to just be fine with it on the spot.

"Just..don't push it. Because I will throw you down a flight of stairs." Ash threatens, but it's only half-hearted..sort of.

"Okay." Derek nods again, deciding not to tell her it wouldn't hurt him, or he'd heal, or most likely he stop it before it happens.

"Okay?"

"Yeah, okay."

"Okay." Ash nods. "I need to get some sleep, I'm tired." She says with a yawn.

"That's good. You should feel a hell of a lot better tomorrow." Derek tells her, because her two days will be up by then, she should be _completely her_ again.

"I will." Ash says, becuase she has faith, and she can feel it. She leans up and kisses Derek, because she didn't get to kiss him earlier. "Goodnight." She says, resting over his chest again.

"Night..Ashlyn." He says cautiously, peeking out one eye at her to see her reaction.

Ash shuts her eyes, not saying anything. She felt that twang of heart ache, but surprisingly, it wasn't as bad as she thought it would be.

..

..

 **Feels all around :3 And Ash is her again by next chapter, yay! Favourite, follow and review!**


	55. Make Or Break

**Shout out to:**

 ***Serena Sterling: Thank you! Yes, part of his want for Jessie to be happy and have her own family, and for him to have some more added to his family, will simmer his reaction to the news too :) You're very welcome!**

 ***Tesla424: Yay, you're back! Oh, I'm so glad I could make you feel that way :) It's okay, just review whenever you can :)**

 ***Guest: Here's the update!**

 ***jayesh dms (ch44): Yes, he does get quite insecure when it comes to Jacob. Hehe!**

 ***jayesh dms (ch45): Yes, it is! It takes while, but they will make up!**

 ***jayesh dms (ch46): He should grow some balls, and he will..just not yet :P**

 ***jayesh dms (ch47): Yay! :)**

 ***jayesh dms (ch48): Deaton will come in, you'll see!**

 ***jayesh dms (ch51): Hehe, she will be soon :)**

 ***Bre: I'm taking that statement back, I said last chapter :) I'm just trying to find the right time for them to say it :)**

 ***jayesh dms: Yay, you've caught up to everyone else! I didn't introduce Allison and Lydia because..I'm not actually sure. I mean, I am now, but in the beginning I intended to use them..but then I liked it without them. I liked Scott not being so blinded by his love for her. I don't know..having the two main couple feels like enough, I think. Hope that answers your question! And what's a faceclaim?**

 **Again, I'm blown away by the numbers of reviews! Maybe, just maybe, we'll bet my record on 297, from my other account, on this fic before it ends! Sending hugs and kisses to all you supportive readers!**

 **..**

 _The next morning_

Stiles wraps his arms around Jessie from behind, rubbing her stomach lightly with a smile. Yes, he's scared, _terrified_ , but he loves this girl a lot and he knows he's going to love their baby too, surprise or not.

Jessie smiles too, putting her hands over his and leaning her head againist his.

"I'm sorry about yesturday." She says. "About getting so upset. It just really got to me, I don't know why."

"No, it's okay. I get it." Stiles says, pressing a kiss to her cheek. "But we can do this." He says.

Jessie turns around so she can face him.

"Are you absolutely sure you want me to keep this baby, Stiles?" She asks him.

"Yeah." Stiles nods. Then his brow furrows a little. "Um..unless you don't want too." He says reluctantly, because it is her body and her choice.

But Jessie shakes her head, because she couldn't do _that_.

"No, I do." She tells him. Her hand comes up to caress his cheek and Stiles' frown softens into a smile now. "It's just..it's just a lot to take in, you know?"

"Yeah, I know." Stiles nods, putting his hand over the one she has on his face. "But we can do this." He says again.

Jessie smiles and nods, because she does want this, even if she's almost 19 and Stiles is barely 18 himself.

"We should go to the doctor's today, and see how far along you are. Because-"

"Because we need to tell the pack." Jessie finishes for him.

"Yeah." Stiles nods.

"Oh, God. I'm so scared of how they're going to react." Jessie sighs, leaning into him until he wraps his arms around her.

"They're gonna be as happy as we are, shocked at first, but happy all the same." Stiles assures her.

"Okay." Jessie nods, pulling back. "I'll just shower and then we'll go."

"I wanna shower too." Stiles says.

"Oh, then you go." Jessie says.

"I'll just shower with you." He says.

Jessie smiles, taking his hand.

"C'mon then."

Jessie comes out 10 minutes later, wrapped in a fluffy towel. She digs through her drawers, getting dressed into a loose-fitting v-neck long sleeve and leggings. The vomitting, which has turned out to be morning sickness, is kicking in again and she finds she doesn't want to wear jeans or any kind of tight clothes. She had to dive from the shower, and her boyfriend, to throw her head into the toilet and vomit.. _for the millionth time_. Jessie _really_ wants to get past this stage of the pregnancy, _really badly_.

Stiles comes out of the shower after her, a towel wrapped around his waist, his wet hair sticking up in all directions as he's no longer sporting just a buzzcut anymore.

"Feeling a little better?" He asks Jessie as he looks through his bag he brought back with him from the animal clinic since he's been staying with Jessie. Yes, his Dad's a little weary, he wants him to come home more, but he'll understand once Jessie and Stiles give the big news. To him..and everyone else.

Who is Stiles kidding? It's Derek and Peter that's scaring him.

 _If you get her pregnant, you're dead_

Derek's words ring in Stiles' ear, making him gulp.

"Not really." Jessie sighs, making Stiles snap out of it and look over at her again. "This morning sickness is kicking my ass."

"Hopefully the Doc will have something for it." Stiles says, zipping his jeans up and messily towel-drying his hair.

"I hope so." Jessie says, because she's really hating this cycle. Wake up, throw up, repeat. She hates it.

..

"Well, by the looks of things, you're about a month and a half along." Doctor Syder tells Jessie.

Jessie's mouth falls open. _A month and a half_. Jesus Christ. She just thought with all the stress she was missing her period because they've been under more than enough stress, that the stress made her feel sick, that _being kidnapped by Skinwalkers and hunted by Vampires_ had a little to do with that too.

"Congratulations, Miss Hale." The woman smiles.

Jessie snaps out of her shock, forcing herself to make words into sentences and speak.

"Thanks. Um..I just, I've been having really bad morning sickness the last week or so. Can I get something for that?" Jessie asks her.

"I'll see what I can do, dear." The woman says, patting her arm. "I will give you two some time and be right back with a copy of the tape for you to take home." She says.

"Thank you." Stiles says as she leaves.

Jessie pulls her shirt back down, looking up at Stiles.

"I know." Stiles says, knowing what she's thinking.

 _One and a half months_.

"I don't think we were as careful as we thought." He says. They've always been _safe_..well, obviously not. But sometimes, when you're too far gone..you..forget. And Stiles is now thinking back to the time when that happened.

"I don't care." She smiles. "I'm so happy, Stiles."

Because hearing her baby's heartbeat melted away all her fears. Well, not _all_ her fears, but a whole lot of them. Jessie just can't wait until she's further along and she gets to _see_ her baby in an ultrasound.

"I'm happy too." Stiles smiles down at her, still clutching her hand in his. "I love you so much, Jess. And I'm gonna love this baby just as much." He says.

"Me too." Jessie smiles back up at him, kissing the back of his hand.

..

 _Later on that day_

"Oh, my God. I'm so happy to see you." Ash smiles widely, scooping up Jade from out of Scott's arms and taking the toddler into her own. She hugs her tightly, pressing kisses all over her face.

Scott smiles, he can see how much better Ash is now doing. Deaton was right, two days later and she's herself again.

 _Completely_ herself.

"Hey, why don't you have a shower or bath or something?" Scott suggests. "I gotta make Jade something to eat anyway, you can play with her afterwards." Scott says, because he's only just picked her up from Nevada and brought her home.

"Okay." Ash nods, because she hears the small protesting growls her stomach makes as she's quite hungry.

Ash kisses Jade's forehead.

"I love you, baby." Ash tells her, and with such promise and sincerity too.

"Love you too." Jade smiles as her, pressing a wet kiss to her cheek.

Ash can't help but beam, and she just feels a hell of a lot better, just like Derek promised she would.

Ash sets Jade on her feet, her mind ticking over to the alpha wolf now.

Derek. Derek, who's looked after her the past two days even though he could have said no. Derek, who was more than reluctant to leave with Peter this morning to do their weekly Hale border check. And Derek..who Ash misses being with _so much_.

"You okay, Ash?" Scott asks her, pausing when he sees her eyebrows have furrowed.

"Yeah." She nods. "I just.. Nothing. It's nothing." She shakes her head.

Scott turns back around to face her properly now, and he gives her this look like he's reading her mind. Because he can read her like an open book, he knows his sister well. And he knows there's only _one_ thing left that's bothering her, and it's the same thing that's bothering Derek too.

"He misses you so much." Scott says.

Ash's eyes shoot up to him.

"How did you-"

"I know you, Ash." Scott says. "And I know Derek. And I can see how much he misses you."

"I've been at his place the last two days." Ash weakly justifies.

"You know what I mean. He misses being _yours_ , and he misses you being _his,_ even if he won't say it out-loud." Scott says. "Listen..you almost died, Ash. We almost lost you. I almost lost you, so did Derek. What if we had? Would you be happy with the last moments you spent with him?" He asks her.

Ash thinks back to before she took off for the nest.

Sure, she got to kiss him and say goodbye, but that was only a _small_ part of it.

She remembers slapping him.

She remembers arguing with him.

She remembers refusing to listen to him.

She remembers being more than a handful, but he still stuck with her and came to her rescue, more than once.

She remembers how every time they did kiss, even if they still were fighting, it _always_ felt right.

Ash meets Scott's eyes again, and doesn't answer, because they both know the answer's no.

"I'm gonna go have a shower, maybe get some sleep too." Ash says, because as much as she wants to play with Jade..she's exhausted. She's been exhausted for 2 days despite sleeping as much as she has.

"Okay, we'll be here if you need us." Scott assures her.

Ash gives a small smile and a nod. She scruffs Jade's hair lightly before making her way up the stairs. She normally likes to have baths, but a bath isn't going to cut it this time. She needs to shower, she needs to wash all of this down the drain.

Ash can _finally_ shower without pain, or without having to have someone stand at the door in case she's sick or passes out. She can shower all on her own, and under steaming hot water too not that her temperature levels are back to normal now.

She stands under the spray, exhaling softly because it feels like heaven against her skin, pelting down her front, washing away the terrible week she's had.

Derek hears Scott clanking around in the kitchen as he speaks to Jade, and Derek makes a mental note to greet the young girl later on, because maybe he's missed her too. But, for now, he climbs into Ash's window. He told Scott he'd fix it once she was better, and she's better now. He doesn't want to wait anymore. He was annoyed that he had to leave early this morning with Peter, because he wanted to fix it right then, but he couldn't. He has a commitment to this town, on his family's behalf, that had to come first.

He's _done_ with this separation, with this break or whatever the hell it is. He needs to know if Ash still wants him, if she wants to make it work and keep doing what they were doing.

But that idea's ruined, because when he steps into her room, he hears the shower running.

He walks over to the bathroom, finding Ash in the shower with her back to him, two large angel wings are the only thing looking at him.

He juggles his choices for a few moments, but he knows which he's going to go with. The one he _should_ have gone with the first day she was staying with him.

He takes his leather jacket off first. Then he pulls his shirt off over his head, dropping it to the floor.

Ash hears movement and turns her head to investigate.

Derek meets her eyes evenly as he unbuckles his belt, taking his jeans off, because he's getting in with her, and know she knows it.

Ash turns back around, but can still hear the shower door open and close behind her as Derek steps inside, now completely naked as well.

He knows that she knows he's there, because she looked him in the eye seconds ago too.

But she stays facing the shower spray, letting it dribble down her face. She finds she doesn't have the objection to him getting in with her that she thought she might.

He didn't really think this through though, so for a few seconds, he just stands there, unsure what to do.

"You could wash my back." Ash breaks the silence, without turning to him.

Derek doesn't object, he pumps a large helping of lavender bodywash into his hand before starting to gently massage her shoulders.

Ash's eyes shut and she leans a little closer to him because it feels really good to have all that crap from the past week washed and worked away from her.

One of Derek's hands starts to wash her back now, and that's when he notices it.

He very gently traces his finger over the large scar the comes around her side, and up her back a little, from the wicked wound she got from her fight with Jacob.

The fight that almost _killed_ her.

Despite having healed as a Vampire, Ash didn't give herself nearly enough time to heal the scar, none of her older scars either.

With Ash feels him touch it, because she discovered it 2 days ago, she flinches a little.

Derek's hand immediately snaps away from it, because he doesn't want to cause her any pain or discomfort.

"Pain?" He asks her.

"No, just..memory." She says. It's like that with her old scars too, sometimes the memory hurts more than the wound itself.

Derek hesitates, but he can't help it. He leans forward and kisses the back of her neck softly.

"I'm here. You're safe with me." He tells her.

Ash turns around to face him now, because she's been dying to hear him say that for awhile now.

"Why are you being so good to me?" She asks him.

"What do you mean?" Derek asks, like the question confuses him.

"I mean, we haven't been..an item, in over a week now. I don't even know if you still want me after what happened." Ash says with an anxious frown.

Derek's hands drop back to his sides. He looks at her, words on the tip of his tongue, but as usual, he's having trouble forming the sentences.

"Ash, I.." He tries.

She just waits patiently, because she knows this isn't an easy task for him. The guy's an alpha, he's killed Skinwalkers and taken down Vampires..but his own emotions have always been his biggest enemy, ever since the fire, maybe even before that too.

"I don't care if we had a fight. I don't care that you slapped me. If I didn't want _this_ -" He says, gesturing between them. "-then I wouldn't be here. I wouldn't be at your side, I wouldn't have sat at your bedside for 2 days watching over you. I just..you matter too much to let this go over a stupid fight." He says.

Ash swallows loudly, nodding.

"You know..I am sorry I hit you." She says.

"No, you're not." Derek corrects with with a soft look, because he knows her well. "I deserved it, I..I shouldn't have said that. I was just..I was..jealous." He says the last word quietly, looking away from her.

" _What_?" Ash asks, her eyes widening. " _You_ jealous of.. _him_?" She asks him.

Derek focuses himself to look at her, his eyes now harder than before.

"Sorry.." Ash sighs. "Derek..you have nothing to be jealous about. Here, give me your hand." She says, holding her's out to him.

He looks at it, and up to her eyes and then down to her hand again.

Ash wiggles her fingers impatiently.

Derek gives in, putting his hand into hers.

Ash steps closer to him, bringing his hand over her heart..and her naked chest.

"I didn't want Jacob, I still don't." She says slowly, letting him feel her heartbeat, not just hear it. "Yeah, I know that was weird for you, and I'm sorry, but I just wanted to give him another chance. But I want you, I _only_ want you." She tells him sincerely.

She leans her forehead against his, the water flowing over both of their heads now.

"He could never give me what you give me." She tells him.

They lock eyes, their lips almost touching, so close they can practically taste each other's breath.

"I need _you_ , Derek." Ash says.

Derek's eyes dart between hers, unable to summon a reply, so he just nods, because he needs her as well.

It's Ash that closes the distance, taking his lips with hers and kissing him.

And Derek doesn't hesitate now, not one bit, he kisses her back whole-heartedly.

When their kiss quickly starts to turn to deep kiss _es_ , the shower stall feels much hotter than before.

Ash presses the tap down, turning the shower off.

They find themselves stepping out of the shower, and even out of the bathroom, going for the bedroom without so much as pulling away from each other's lips once.

It isn't until both naked wet bodies are laying on Ash's bed do either of them realise where this is going.

"Are you okay with this?" Derek asks her, looking down at the girl.

Ash finds herself nodding.

"Yeah. Are you?" She asks.

"Yeah." Derek nods.

"Then love me." Ash says, her hand resting on the nape of his neck.

Derek captures her lips with his again, moving up between her legs.

Ash moans softly as he slides into her, because _God, it always feels so good with him_.

He's very careful with her this time, like he's afraid he'll undo her healing or something. Or maybe it's just because he hasn't been inside her in awhile and he has to get used to how good that feels again.

Derek's kissing her with as much passion as he's been missing out on during their separation. And everything feels so _good_. Her lips feel like silk, they just feel amazing wrapped around his. And her body..she feels incredible underneath him, her skin smooth and soft under his hands.

And _him_..Ash can't even describe it. She can feel herself quickly approaching her _finishing line_ , because she can't deny how good he makes her feel. God, being with him like this again just feels like coming home. _He_ feels like home.

Then Derek notices the tear that slips from her eye, sliding down the side of her face. He slows to a stop.

"Ash? Am I hurting you?" He asks, wearing a concerned frown.

"No." She shakes her head, a smile coming to her lips.

"Then why are you crying? Am I doing something wrong?" He asks, because he hates seeing her cry.

But he's got the wrong idea.

She chuckles softly, bringing her hand to his cheek.

"I've missed you _so goddamn much_ , Derek." She says, her eyes sparkling with happy tears, _relieved_ tears, because they're finally together again.

"So have I." He tells her, his hand coming to caress her face and wipe away her escaped tear. "Never leave me like that again." He says, leaning his forehead against hers, and Ash has never heard him sound more vulnerable before.

Because their separation tore at him in emotionally inflicting ways. Even if he didn't say it all out-loud like she did, he felt the sting of their 'break' just as much as she did.

"I won't." Ash says, meeting his eyes. "I promise." She says.

She draws him back to her lips and begins kissing him again. She tugs at his hip too, so he knows he can keep going.

Derek kisses her like she's the only thing that matters as his hips start to rock again, making love to her gentle, romantically, like she deserves.

..

Afterwards, Ash lays on his chest and Derek couldn't be more content as he trails his finger up and down her arm gently, and she traces lazy patterns over his chest lightly.

"I've missed you." Derek says.

"I've missed you too." Ash replies without missing a beat, looking up at him.

Derek meets her eyes, just staring at the rainbow of different blues swirling her irises, now clean of that filthy red ring that could have ended in her death.

"Wait here." He says, slipping out from under her and getting out of bed.

Ash frowns a little but watches him go back into the bathroom.

He picks up his leather jacket and digs through the pocket for something. He looks at it and closes his fist again, putting his jacket on the desk chair instead of leaving the beloved item on the floor.

He slips back into bed with her, bringing his arm around her so she'll lay on his chest again.

And she does, snuggling into his side once again.

Derek takes Ash's left hand in his. He opens his other hand, slipping the item onto her middle finger before threading his fingers through hers.

Ash looks at her hand and her eyes widen. She can only stare at the gold ring with a the ruby gemstone, _her birth_ _stone_ , that sits on her finger.

"You can relax, this isn't a proposal." Derek says, because she looks stunned. It's why he put it on her middle finger.

Ash tears her eyes away from the ring to look at him.

"Derek..it's beautiful." She says, shocked and surprised, but _pleasantly_ shocked and surprised. "I..I don't know what to say, thank you."

"It was actually Jessie's idea. She told me not to let you go, that a ring would show you I want you to stay." He tells her, meeting her eyes. "I didn't know when we'd work it all out, but I knew we would." He says.

"So, you've been carrying it around this whole time? Waiting to give it to me?" She asks, because that is just..that's more than sweet, that makes her feel more than wanted, that makes her feel _loved_.

"About 4 days now." He tells her honestly. "I had to fix it somehow..I had to show you that I want you to be me, _a_ _lways_." He says.

"Are you sure this isn't a proposal, it sounds like one." She jokes softly.

Derek chuckles a little, making Ash smile even more because she's missed his awkward little laugh and half-smirk.

"Like you'd actually marry me." He scoffs jokingly.

Ash swallows, the joking draining from her face, as she really thinks about it.

"I mean..I..I would." Ash says.

This catches Derek off guard.

"What?" He asks, the joking falling away from him as well.

"Well..I don't wanna be with anyone else, only you so..it would make sense..I guess." She says, feeling awkward now.

"You would seriously marry me?" He asks her. Derek's known since the fire took his family that he probably wouldn't ever have one of his own, his own baby, his own kids. And he was okay with that, with the way he was going, he didn't have anyone to have kids with. And engagement? Marriage? That all seemed pointless, crazy, and completely out of the question.

But then Ash came along.

And things changed.

"I don't know.. Yes, I guess. If you're into that sort of thing." She says, fiddling with her ring as she admires it, because she feels nervous to be admitting these things to Derek, even though she knows she shouldn't be.

Derek studies the girl laying over his chest and he reminisces.

He thinks back to how much he missed her when they were fighting. He thinks back to how genuinely _scared_ he was when they thought she was going to die. He thinks back to how mad he was when Ash tried to convince them to just kill her. He thinks back to how relieved he was when they saved her and Jessie from the Skinwalkers. He thinks back to the first time they had sex. He thinks back to when Ash finally gave in and let the truth about her attack slip and how mad he was. He thinks back to their first kiss. He thinks back to carrying her lifeless body to the hospital after her father attacked her. He thinks back to how protective he's been of her since the word 'go'. He thinks back to how they would always be at each other's throats but they were still attracted to each other. He thinks back to the girl trying to be so strong to hold her little, broken family together. He thinks back to sitting outside her cell for hours with the rest of the pack. He thinks back to how angry he was when he caught her with those drugs because he didn't want her to hurt herself. He thinks back to when he and Jessie checked on her not long after Melissa's passing and the girl screamed at them to leave. He thinks back to finding her crying leant against her car in the rain, late at night, after her Mom passed. He thinks back to when Ash brought him over to her loft to look at files with her and Stiles, and how awkward they both were, neither trying to fill the silence. He thinks back to how her and Scott had an argument in front of all the pack and how Scott's words stung Ash. He thinks back to when he introduced Jessie to them and Ash and Jessie bumped heads right away, but now they're as close as sisters. He thinks back to when he first met Jade and how he thought she belonged to Ash because she was just too good with her to only be a sister. He thinks back to how he seeked out Ash to help him with Jessie, and how she surprisingly agreed. He thinks back to their disagreement about Erica and Boyd, when Derek caught her bad-mouthing him to Scott. He thinks back to how they purposely ignored each other and created more distance on the sidewalk that time they passed each other in town.

And lastly, he thinks _way back_ to when this gorgeous dark-haired _Queen_ stepped onto his and Jessie's land with her brother and Stiles, and into their lives.

Ash can feel him looking at her, so she looks at him too.

"What?" She asks him.

"Nothing." He says, just looking at her, his mind intently thinking over the conversation they just had.

"Well, thank you. It's really beautiful." Ash says to him.

"You're welcome." He says, kissing her head. "You tired me out." He says with a yawn.

Ash blushes wildly, but she smiles smugly too, because he's _hers_ once again.

"Maybe we should get some sleep." He says. But then he sees the way Ash is looking at him. He only sees _desire_ in her eyes. "Or later?" He suggests, moving closer to her.

"Yeah, later sounds better." She nods with a grin, before they're wrapped around each other again, their lips glued together.

..

..

 **Hmm..how do you feel about their conversation on marriage? And Jessie's been pregnant for a little while now, hehe! But they're really happy about it all now and they need to tell the pack ASAP! So, look forward to that! I also have another surprise or two, one of them isn't about the pack though..that's all I'm giving away :P I also have another idea, it's a dark one, but I don't know about it, because you readers have had enough heartbreak! But, we will see! Once the pack have settled and they know Jessie's pregnant, I'm going to be doing some time jumping, because the end of this fic is slowly approaching! Favourite, follow and review!**


	56. Acceptance In All It's Different Shades

**It's not really a warning, but you should just know that everyone seems to be quite frisky this chapter :P**

 **Shout out to:**

 ***Serena Sterling: Sweetness :3 Everyone's getting serious! I can't tell you that, then it won't be a surprise :P You're welcome and thanks!**

 ***TheHungryRainbow: Aw, that made me feel really special, thank you :) We still have some chapters, I don't know how many, but the ride's still going!**

 ***jayesh dms: Thanks! Yes, I plan to do more Derek and Jade, and I'll try with Peter and Jade too! I'm not that big a fan of them either, I thought they were overrated too sometimes. But, no, I don't have any face claims, sorry :)**

 ***Guest: Yay Here's another!**

 **..**

Ash wakes up with a soft yawn. She curls closer to the warmth around her, tightening her arms around Derek's neck.

Derek's eyes soften as he looks down at the girl as she barely wakes up, not even opening her eyes, just trying to get warmer, _closer_. His arm that's around her tightens a little, pulling her just a little bit closer to him.

The movement causes Ash's eyes open now, slowly, blinking until she's fully conscious. Memories from the night before come rushing back to her and she looks up to find Derek's face. Not so much as a 'good morning' passes her lips before she presses them to his, holding his face.

But Derek isn't complaining, he kisses her back, threading a hand past her long hair to rest on the nape of her neck.

But, eventually, they do need air, and they do have to pull back, resting their foreheads together.

"Good morning." There it is.

"Morning." Derek replies, a soft smile dancing on his lips, because he's missed all of this so much more than he can put into words.

"I.." Ash smiles back, she can't really put it into words either. So, she kisses him again, straddling his lap.

Derek sits up, so he can pull her flush against him, and he can kiss her easier.

There's a knock on Ash's bedroom door.

"Ash?" Scott says.

"Not right now, Scott." She says as her eyes flutter shut, as Derek's lips leave hers and travel down to the sweet spot along her neck. The same spot that always smells so _good_ to Derek's sensitive nose.

"I just need to know if you know where Derek is, Jessie's looking for.." Apparently, that wasn't warning enough, because he walks into her room anyway.

"Scott!" Derek objects to the younger male's entrance.

Scott sees a bare back, two large angel wing tattoos staring back at him. And he clicks right away that they're _both_ in here, and they're both _very_ naked, and apparently quite busy too.

Derek wraps his arms around Ash, hiding her naked torso against him.

"Oh..uh..this is..awkward." Scott says, instantly turning back around. "I'll tell Jessie you're..here." He says before quickly leaving the room again, shutting the door behind him.

"Oops." Ash says, but she can't help but chuckle. Normally, 'not right now' means _not right now_.

"You did tell him not to come in." Derek says.

"He isn't a very good listener. Reminds me of someone else." Ash says, raising her eyebrows at Derek.

"Me?" He guesses, amused.

"Yeah, you." She nods, a smile creeping to her lips.

"I think I listened pretty well last night." He smirks.

"Your performance in bed doesn't count." She says, slowly getting closer to his lips again.

"Yeah, we'll see about that." He says, brushing his nose against hers. "Now, where were we?" Derek asks.

Ash smiles properly now, brushing her lips over his with the softest of kisses, making that half-smile come to his lips too.

"Here." She says.

"You want me to listen more? Fine." He nods. "Tell me what you want me to do to you." He says in her ear, and suddenly Ash feels like a hormonal teenager again.

She's definitely never been asked _that_ before.

"Hmm?" He hums, kissing along her ear and neck, making the girl get quite _riled up_ , her breath coming out in little shaky exhales.

"Make me feel good." She says shyly.

"Consider it done." He says, pulling back and pressing his lips to her's again.

Ash kisses him back, the two rolling over until Ash is on her back again.

..

Scott walks into the Hale loft, finding Jessie and Stiles making breakfast. Not anything elaborate, because they don't want to put flour everywhere again. So..they're having cereal.

"I found him." Scott says, seeing Jessie's about to phone him again.

"Really? Where? I've been trying to call him all morning." Jessie says.

"In bed, with my sister." Scott says.

"Really?" Jessie asks, she understands Ash was staying over here when she was sick, she needed help walking around, she needed help with the pain..but that's over now. "They must be getting along better."

"Uh..they were.. _naked_ , I'd say they're getting along just fine now." Scott says with a cringe.

"Oh, c'mon, man." Stiles groans, grossed out.

"Well.." Jessie says, because that is a little awkward. "I'm glad they're okay again." She says, because that part is true.

"I thought I'd let you know anyway. I have to drop Jade off at daycare." Scott says, twirling his dirtbike keys in his hand.

"How come she's back there?" Stiles asks.

"She has to learn to be around other kids..apparently." Scott rolls his eyes as he repeats the woman's words back to him.

"She'll be fine, Scott. She'll be safe." Jessie assures him, because the couple can tell that's the problem.

Both Scott and Ash wanted to keep her home, but Lucy is right. Jade is growing up fast, she needs to slowly start being introduced to new things, and new people, especially other children as it's only a few short years before she's attending a primary school, a _real_ school.

Don't even get Ash started on that one, she's terrified about it.

But you can almost picture how all of that is going to play out.

Scott's going to swing by the school once a day, just to check on her from the trees, somewhere she won't see him. He'll no doubt have his best friend with him, Stiles, who will be doing the same thing, scaring away any boys that get too close.

Ash will be taking her every day, making sure she has lunch, making sure she's okay, making sure other kids don't look at her funny because Ash will find a way to put a stop to it..non-violent of course. Unless it happened to be another parent or an older child..then Ash would have some more than colourful ideas.

Jessie will be in some of those car rides, her own baby in the car, while she makes sure Jade's okay too.

Hell, even Derek would be making the odd appearance every now and then, sniffing out the other kids, _literally_. Checking for any dangers, any scents that shouldn't be there. And Jade will run over to him and hug him, and show her friends her big 'hedgehog', making them all laugh together, and maybe Derek might have to force back a smile too.

Because Ash and Scott know she's growing up, so they're preparing themselves and Jade for the toddler to go into the big world, not just the small world their loft or Aunt's house confines her too.

But that's years away.

They have time.

"I'll see you two later, alright?" Scott says.

"Yeah, okay." Jessie nods.

"See you later, man." Stiles says, clapping Scott's hand.

Scott gives them both a small smile before leaving the Hale loft again.

"It's about time Derek and Ash got over their crap." Stiles comments.

"Yeah." Jessie nods, looking down at her hands as she fidgets.

"What's wrong?" Stiles asks.

"Stiles, we.." She looks back up at him. "We need to tell them."

"Tell them what?" Stiles asks.

Jessie just shoots him a deadpan.

"Oh..right." Stiles realises. He scratches his neck, becoming nervous enough though it's just her here. "Are you sure? I mean..we can still wait?"

"No, we can't." Jessie shakes her head. "They need to know."

Stiles nods, because she is right, he's just.. _very_ nervous to how they will react. But it's okay, because Jessie is too.

"We need to tell them. Today." Jessie says.

Stiles looks up at her, opening his mouth to object, _because that's **today** today_. But he doesn't, because she's right.

"Yeah, we do." He nods.

..

Jessie and Stiles look up when the front door's opened. They instantly notice how Derek has more of a skip in his step compared to how moopy he's been lately. It's awkward, and a little gross for Jessie and Stiles, considering that's her brother and Stiles' surrogate sister, but it's nice too, because they're happy for the two adults.

"Look at you, all happy this morning." Jessie can't help but comment, shoving another mouthful of cereal into her mouth. "I was wondering where you disappeared to last night."

"I stayed across the hall. I talked to Ash-" He says. Jessie and Stiles share a glance over his choice of words, but don't comment on it out-loud. "-I think me and her are gonna be okay."

"That's really good." Jessie smiles.

"Yeah." Stiles nods.

"What are you two doing up anyway?" Derek asks, jumping up to sit on the kitchen counter, because he'd expect them to still be in bed as it's not long after 9 and they don't have anything to do today. Well..they do have _one_ thing they have to do.

Jessie's smile gets a little bigger, because just by his more carefree than usual actions, she can tell Derek is stoked about reconciling with Ash. And Jessie bets ten bucks Ash is feeling the exact same way.

"I was hungry." Jessie answers, spooning more cereal into her mouth.

"Yeah, I've noticed you've been hungry a lot lately." Derek comments, because all the spaghetti was gone. Then it was the graham crackers. Then it was the yoghurt. And now it's probably the cereal too.

"Are you calling me fat?" Jessie asks, raising her eyebrows.

Stiles shakes his head frantically at Derek, because that is the _last_ thing you want to say to someone that's pregnant. And even though Derek would be the one to say it, when Jessie was finished kicking his ass, she'd probably kick Stiles' too, then blame it on being pregnant.

"No." Derek shakes his head, because even if he doesn't know she's carrying, he isn't stupid, he doesn't have a death wish. "I'm saying, you've been eating all the food lately." He says.

"Yeah, well, I'm.." _Eating for two now_. But Jessie stops herself before she says that. "-hungry a lot. I've got a few days worth of eating to catch up on after all the crap we've been through." She says instead.

"I guess you're right." Derek nods. "Just don't eat the leftover pizza, it's _mine_." He says.

"Pizza? Dude, how in the hell can you eat pizza and still look like that?" Stiles asks, motioning to his athletic physique.

"Obviously you don't know Derek very well." Jessie says, turning to her boyfriend. "He can eat a pizza all by himself, two whole ones if he really tried. He's just lucky that werewolf gene smokes through it." She says.

"Sitting right here." Derek reminds them.

"Maybe that's what I need." Stiles says, assessing his own biceps, squeezing them. He knows he pigs out, but he works hard in the gym when he can too.

"No, I like your body the way it is." Jessie shakes her head. "All of it."

"Still right here." Derek reminds them, louder. It's his turn to feel that uncomfortable twang now.

Both teenagers chuckle, going back to their breakfast.

"You look.." Derek can't really find the word for it.

Jessie looks up at him, because he's talking to her.

"Look..?" She pushes.

"Healthy." He says. "I mean..you're all rosy cheeked and..glowing..I don't know." He shrugs.

Jessie and Stiles share a look.

Yeah, they can't keep this secret for too much longer.

"Thank you, big brother. You look..well..like you had a _long night_." Jessie says, raising her eyebrows.

Stiles can't help but snort up his milk onto the counter.

"You're cleaning that up." Derek says, looking at Stiles with a glare as the younger male coughs and tries not to choke. Then he looks at Jessie. "Like I said, I think me and Ash are gonna be fine." He says with this proud little smirky thing, before he goes into his room.

"That's so gross. But it's so sweet." Jessie says with a soft smile.

She turns to Stiles and shakes her head with a fond look before rubbing his back as he recovers from the Cheerio that got jammed in his throat.

When stands back up properly now, catching his breath. He looks at his girlfriend, his _pregnant_ girlfriend. The only person who would put up with him choking on Cheerios, and spitting milk everywhere, and still try to help him. _His girl_.

"God, I love you, Jess." He says.

"And I love you. And your milk mustache." She chuckles, wiping away a drop of milk from his chin.

Stiles runs his tongue over his top lip, swiping away the milk.

"You know, you look like a lizard when you do that." She says, looking throughly amused with herself.

Stiles raises his eyebrows at her as he finishes cleaning up his mess, but he's smiling. He surprises her, lifting her up by her hips so her legs come around his torso.

"Maybe I gotta find something else to do with my tongue then." He says with a smirk.

"Jesus, Stiles, Derek's right there." Jessie says quietly, glancing over at his room.

"He'll leave." Stiles shrugs.

Jessie just chuckles again, because how the hell has this become her life?

"Take me upstairs then." She whispers.

"Yes, ma'am." He grins, walking towards the stairs without hesitation.

..

It isn't until later that day do Jessie and Stiles finally get the pack all in a room together.

"What's this about?" Scott asks. "Is something wrong? Is someone hurt?" He asks, because that's sadly their go-to after everything they're all been through.

"We're all fine, Scott, we just have some news." Stiles says.

"What? What kind of news?" Isaac asks.

"We were waiting until Ash was better, and Jade was home, and everything was settled again, to tell you." Jessie says, looking around at the pack's faces.

"Tell us what?" Scott asks.

"My uh..my blood test results came back a few days ago, I went to the doctor's because I was sick." Jessie tells them.

"They came back? And you didn't tell me?" Derek asks her with a frown. "What's wrong then?"

"Nothing's _wrong_ , Derek." Jessie says.

The alpha's frown just deepens, because he's plain confused now.

"Can you do it?" Jessie asks, looking at Stiles.

"Yeah." He nods.

He turns to the pack with this proud little smile and right then they all can tell it really isn't bad news.

"Jessie's not sick." He says.

Then there's that confusion again, because she's definitely been sick as of late-

"She's a month and a half pregnant." Stiles says. "We're having a baby."

Various jaws hit the floor, eyebrows touching the ceiling.

"Oh, my God." It's Ash thought that smiles widely. She gets up, racing over to the couple and hugging them both. "I'm so happy for you two." She says.

It's Scott next that stands up, because that's his best friend, his brother.

"I can't believe it, man. Congratulations." Scott smiles, clapping hands with Stiles before they pull each other into a hug.

But Derek and Peter stay in their place. They even share a look because that's their _baby girl_ , their _baby_ sister and _baby_ neice.

"That's good news." Isaac says, doing the same thing with Stiles that Scott with him.

"Thank you." Stiles nods.

There was a time where him and Isaac didn't get along, now look at them. Then again, there was also a time when Ash and Derek didn't along, now look at _them_.

Once Jessie's gotten through the bustle, she squirms away to go over to her brother and Uncle, who still haven't moved.

"Derek? Peter?" She says, getting worried that her fear will come true and they'll be disappointed.

"You're having Stilinski's baby." Peter says with an awkward chuckle, because no matter how cold-hearted and burned up he is, that's still his sister's daughter, that's still his neice. And she's pregnant.

"Yeah." Jessie nods. She doesn't get mad with him, because he's been good lately, with helping the pack and not causing trouble too. And honestly, he looks stunned, genuinely stunned, and Jessie's never seen that on him before.

Stiles spots her talking to them and makes his way over to them as well. He stops beside Jessie, looking between both males.

"Everything okay over here?" He asks.

Two sets of glowing eyes fall to him and he suddenly feels _very_ intimidated.

"Oh..shit." He breathes out, sinking back a little behind Jessie.

"What part of 'get her pregnant and you're dead' did you not understand?" Derek asks him, stepping forward.

Stiles takes another step back behind Jessie. He was _really_ hoping Derek had forgotten about that. Seems he didn't.

"Uh.." Stiles can't really find an answer for that one at all. What's he supposed to tell Derek? That Jessie was _doing things_ to him that made him completely forget to put on a condom, and he was _doing things_ to her that made the whole protection thing slip her mind, and it ended with him knocking her up? No. No way. Stiles would rather die than say that out-loud. But it's okay, because Derek and Peter would rather die than hear him say that anyway. In fact, if Stiles did say it out-loud, both Hales would kill him anyhow.

"Easy now." Jessie says with a small smile. "I want this, it's okay." She tells her brother, putting her hand on his arm.

Derek looks away from Stiles, looking at her now.

"I want this baby, I wanna be a Mom, Derek." She says.

Derek's face does this little twitchy thing, because he really never thought he'd hear those words come out of her mouth. _Ever_.

"And I will be, whether you like it or not." She says, looking up to meet his eyes.

Derek still doesn't really know what to say to her.

"C'mon, Derek, say something." Jessie says. "I didn't get like this when you started to help raise Jade." The words pass her lips before she thought them through.

"I'm gonna go over there now." Stiles decides, backing away.

Peter doesn't say anything, but he follows.

Derek watches them, then looks at Jessie again.

"You can't hide it from me, Derek. You wanna be a Dad to Jade-"

"I don't wanna.." Derek cuts her off, but he can't make himself finish his sentence either. Because he'd be lying to her and himself.

"It's okay, it's not a bad thing. She needs some male authority in her life, and I don't mean Scott." Jessie says to him. "I know she's extra special to you. But this baby, it's gonna be extra, _extra_ special to me." She says. "He, or she, is gonna be _mine_. That's you're niece or nephew, Derek."

"I.." He tries to find the words. "You really want this, don't you?" He asks her.

Stiles walks back over, seeing that look has fallen from Derek's face, now he looks..understanding. And he shouldn't abandon Jessie because this is just as hard for her as it is for him, maybe even harder.

"I do, I really want this." Jessie tells him.

Stiles arm slips around her, and he forces himself to meet the older man's eyes.

"We _both_ really want this." Stiles says.

Derek looks between the two teenagers then exhales slowly.

"I'm happy for you, you're gonna be good parents." He says, speaking the truth past his surprise.

Jessie crashes into him, hugging him tightly. She was scared, so scared, that he'd be disappointed in her. But he isn't disappointed, he was just shocked by the news, they all were.

"Thank you." Jessie says.

"Why are you thanking me?" He asks her.

Jessie pulls back, looking at him with a smile and watery eyes.

"Just..for everything." She says.

Derek nods.

Jessie hugs him again and Derek's arms come around her now too.

Stiles watches with a small smile.

Ash looks over at them as well, a smile coming to her face now too. She watches Jessie let him go, and her and Stiles are about to walk back over the the pack, but Derek catches Stiles' arm. Jessie looks between them but Stiles nods for her to walk away. Jessie walks over to Ash, looking a little nervous because she's just left the guy that got her pregnant with her big brother. Not the _smartest_ move.

"Hey, it's okay. Derek's not gonna hurt him." Ash assures her, putting her arm around Jessie's shoulders.

"I really hope not." Jessie says, still looking anxious. "Someone has to wake up at 3am to feed the baby." She can't help but joke, making them both laugh.

"If you even _think_ about leaving her after you've done this-" Derek starts, grabbing Stiles' by the scruff of his shirt.

"I'm _never_ leaving her, I would never even think about that." Stiles stops him.

Derek doesn't continue with his threat, he just lets Stiles speak.

"Derek..I..I love her, so much. I've never been in love with anyone in my entire life. Do you know how lucky I was to find her? How lucky I am to _have_ her?" Stiles says.

"Yeah, I do." Derek nods. Because his baby sister deserves the world. And Stiles is the one giving her that.

Derek loosens his grip on Stiles' shirt before letting him go completely.

"I'm not going anywhere. I won't promise to not mess up because..I can't make that promise. I'm a male, I'm bound to mess up, it's in my DNA." Derek can relate to that one, so he doesn't object. "But I promise to always be there to fix it." Stiles says.

Derek nods.

"You gotta promise me something else too though." Derek says.

"What's that?" Stiles asks.

"You'll _never_ break her heart, and you'll protect that baby with your life." Derek says.

"I'll never hurt her, not ever. And that baby will be my life, and I won't let anything hurt them either." Stiles promises.

Derek drinks in Stiles' words, he listens the younger man's heartbeat and he hears the conviction in his voice.

Derek puts his hand out to Stiles.

Stiles looks down at it, a smile coming to his lips.

Before Derek can question why it's there, he has an armful of Stiles. And he's..hugging him. _Hugging_ him.

"You have no idea how much it means to both of us that you're okay with this." Stiles says to him, just loud enough for Derek to hear.

"I'm always gonna be here for my family, and that includes you." Derek says back.

Stiles has never felt as accepted as he does right now. Accepted by Jessie, by Derek, by the pack..he couldn't ask for anything better.

"Hey, look." Ash says to Jessie.

Jessie looks back over at her boyfriend and brother in time to see Derek bring his arms around Stiles too, clapping him on the back. A smile comes to her face, even if Derek does look awkward and stiff, her eyes watery because she was so scared in the beginning but things have gone so well that she's overwhelmed.

Derek looks up and sees her. He gestures for Jessie to come over.

She rushes over, wiggling between them and hugging them both as tight as she can.

"I love both of you." Jessie says with a happy, watery smile.

"Oh, God, here come the waterworks." Derek jokes half-heartedly, because they all know her emotions are going to be all over the place for awhile.

They all pull back, the younger two chuckling, and Jessie wipes her eyes.

"Well, Derek, since you've done this for us, I'm gonna do something for you." Jessie says.

"Do what for me?" Derek asks, looking at her.

"I'm gonna give you some advice." Jessie says. "Tell her you love her, and then marry her." Jessie says, nodding over to Ash who's now talking to Isaac, a smile on her face.

Derek doesn't have a word to say back.

"And then help her raise that baby girl." Jessie adds. "Because I know that's what you want."

Derek just looks over at Ash and then back to Jessie, still unable to come up with a response. He even looks to Stiles for some kind of help.

"She's right, Derek." Stiles says. "And I know nothing would make Ash happier." He says.

"We should uh..get back to the others." Derek says.

Jessie smiles, because she knows her's and Stiles' words have definitely sunk into him.

"Yeah. C'mon." Jessie says, taking Stiles' hand and leading them back over.

Stiles and Jessie watch subtly as Derek walks over to Ash and grabs her, then kisses her.

"What was that for?" Ash asks him with a surprised smile.

"Just.." Derek says. "Being you." He says.

Ash chuckles.

"Thanks." She says, before pulling him forward and kissing him again.

"Won't be long now." Stiles says, his arm coming around Jessie again. "Next thing we'll all be getting ready for won't be some supernatural attack, it'll be a wedding." He says.

"Yeah. We just gotta figure out how we're gonna get my stomach into a dress once I get a bump." Jessie chuckles.

"You'll be my big, beautiful date." Stiles grins.

"Hey, you can't call pregnant woman 'big'." Jessie says.

"I can call you whatever I want, because you're mine." He smiles proudly, rubbing his nose into his neck, making her giggle.

..

..

 **Well..I was nervous about this chapter, but, here it is! What did you think? Now, this is when I'm going to start to time jump, weeks, maybe even months, because this fic is finishing soonish but I want Jessie to have the baby by the end of it, maybe even see into the future at what the pack's lives are. Also, I was randomly writing this passage that turned out to be a one-shot, but it's not done yet. It's about Derek leaving after season 3a and one morning Ash comes banging at his door, demanding he comes home, and there will be Dash feels! Would you read it if I finished writing it and put it up? Favourite, follow and review!**


	57. I'm Bent To Fly

**I don't own the song!**

 **Shout out to:**

 ***Serena Sterling: Thanks :) He should, right? I have posted the one shot! It's called 'The Call Of Home'! You're welcome and thanks!**

 ***jayesh dms: Yay :) I will!**

 ***Guest: Hmm..maybe :P**

 ***Guest x4: I don't know if you're pointing out all my mistakes to be kind or not, but thank you anyway. When I have time, I will be going back and correcting things like that. As for the custody thing and guardianship, I did say I didn't know how that works exactly, but from my personal experiences of being in the system and being involved in a custody battle when I was 10, I think I did alright with it. But, whether this was to help me or not, you pushed up my review count and took the time out of your day to do so, so thanks :)**

 ****Like I was saying to Serena, I just posted a one-shot called 'The Call Of Home'! Go check it out, it's not long too, and it's Derek x Ash but unestablished so you know so feelings will be coming out! Derek leaves town after the alpha pack and Ash decides she's had enough and goes to _speak_ with him. Go have a read! :)****

 **Enjoy!**

 **..**

 _Two weeks later_

Derek gets out of the shower first, walking into Ash's room with a towel wrapped around his waist.

He looks over at her bed when her phone that lays upon it starts to ring.

"Ash, you're phone!" Derek calls to her.

But she's too busy washing her long hair.

Derek picks her phone up from the bed and answers it, bringing it to his ear.

"Yeah, Ash's phone." He says.

"Hi, can I speak with Ash McCall, please?" A male asks.

"Uh, no, sorry. She's showering, can I take a mesaage?" Derek says, glancing back into the bathroom but Ash is still occupied.

"Yeah, sure. Uh..just tell her it's Andrew. I really need someone to perform with me at Backlands tonight, and I couldn't think of anyone better to ask. Just..tell her I need her, tonight."

"Okay, I'll pass it on." Derek nods.

"Okay, thanks, man." Andrew says, then they both hang up.

Derek puts her phone down on her bedside table. He hears the shower turn off.

Ash walks into the room, a towel wrapped around her and a toothbrush in her mouth.

Derek leans against the wall, watching her.

She digs through her drawers, looking for an outfit to get dressed into.

"Why'd you stop performing?" Derek asks her.

Ash stiffens and turns her head to face him. She takes the toothbrush out of her mouth before speaking.

"My Mom _died_ , Derek. I just.." She says.

"So, you just stop?" Derek asks.

Ash sighs and turns all the way around to face him.

"What is this about?" She asks him.

"That was Andrew that just called your phone." Derek tells her.

"Andrew? Really?" She asks, because she hasn't spoken to him in.. _awhile_.

She turns back around and starts to get dressed.

"He says he needs you to perform with him tonight." Derek says.

"I don't perform anymore." Ash says, pulling her jeans on buttoning them up.

"Because of your Mom, right?" He asks.

"Don't." Ash shakes her head, messily drying her hair before walking into the bathroom, throwing it into the hamper. She rinses her toothbrush and her mouth. She slams the toothbrush back into it's holder with more force than necessary. "Andrew will find someone else to help him." She says, walking back into her room in jeans and a bra.

"He seemed keen on having _you_ help him." Derek points out, his eyes just following the half-dressed girl as she paces the room with a sense of stress.

Ash shoots him a glare before pulling her singlet on over her head.

"Well..I want pizza, but I don't have any pizza, do I?" She says childishly.

"I'll get you some pizza." Derek says.

"Wait..really?" Ash asks, looking over at him.

"Yeah." He nods. "On the way back from Backlands tonight." He finishes.

Ash sighs, rolling her eyes.

"No. I just..I don't do that anymore. I don't go there anymore." She says the second part quieter but Derek still hears her.

"Hey." He says, catching her arm before she can walk out of the room.

"What, Derek?" Ash asks him.

"I get it, okay? I do. But you can't just give up something because it hurts." He says.

"It doesn't matter, okay? It just..it doesn't matter." She mutters, looking down at her feet.

Derek's fingers slip under her chin, tilting it up so she has to look at him.

"It does matter." He corrects her. "And if _she_ were here, she'd be telling you to go and help your friend." He says.

"You forgot one thing." Ash says.

"What's that?" Derek asks her.

"She's not here." Ash sighs, pushing his hand off her face and walking away from him.

She sits down on her bed, looking down at her lap, fidgeting.

Derek sits down bedside her, not saying anything for a little while.

"I'm sorry she's not here." Derek says.

Ash looks at him with a frown.

"No, don't do that. It's not your fault." Ash says.

"Well, maybe not, but I don't like throwing it in your face like that either." He says, looking down at his own hands.

Ash brings her legs up and moves closer to him. She grabs his arm, bringing it around her, laying against his bare chest.

Derek exhales through his nose, pulling her a little closer.

Ash snuggles close to his arm.

"I really think you should do this." Derek says. "Not just for your Mom, but for you as well."

She looks up at him and he feels her looking so he looks down at her too.

"And I wanna see you perform."

"I thought you already saw me, like 2 years ago?" Ash asks him.

"I wasn't really paying attention, I mean..it wasn't a good day." He says, remembering how his head just wouldn't shut the hell up. He felt like he was losing his mind that day.

"Oh.." Ash says, not sure what to say back to that.

"But I wanna see again, when I can really watch you." He says to her. "C'mon, Ash. You should do this, the pack will wanna come too." He coaxes, lightly shaking her a little.

She groans, stretching out across his legs until she's completed laying over his lap, her feet dangling off the bed.

"Ash." He says, looking down at her.

"Derek." She says back, imitating his deep voice.

He can't help the chuckle that passes his lips, because she really can be childish sometimes, but it's cute as well.

"Okay." He says, lifting her off of him and getting to his feet.

"Hey, I was comfy." Ash objects, frowning at him.

"I'm getting changed, then we're going." He says, going into his bag he leaves here to find clothes.

"Derek, no.." She trails off, when the man drops his towel and starts getting dressed.

"My eyes are here." He says, pointing to his face.

"But the rest of you isn't." She says to herself, but he hears her, of course he does.

He smirks and finishes getting dressed. He pulls his henley on over her head, hiding away the torso Ash just spent the last minute drooling over.

"C'mon, we're going." He says, holding his hand out to her.

Ash exhales.

"Fine." She says, slipping her hand into his.

Derek's finger rubs over the ring he brought her, a proud feeling swarming inside his chest.

..

" _Mmm, mmm, mmm_." Andrew starts off on his own. " _Ah, ah, ah-h. Ah, ah, ah-h_."

He holds out his hand, drawing Ash from her seat. She slips her hand into his, letting him lead her up onto the stage when the guitarist is engulfed in his own tabs and chords.

Jessie catches the man's eyes and mouths 'that's her boyfriend' pointing at Derek, you know, _just in case_.

Andrew only smiles and sends her a single nod, because it's not like that between him and Ash anyway. They have amazing stage chemistry, but it's not romantic.

" _Mama, don't you cry. Don't you worry_." Andrew sings. His voice actually surprises the pack, aside Scott and Stiles who have seen the man perform with Ash before. It's..soft, but still has a manly edge to it. " _I cannot stay here any lon-ger_."

" _The time has come to find a distant calling_." Ash brings the microphone to her own lips and sings, finding it's easier than she thought it would be to slip back into this life again. It's.. _nice_. The pack all notice it too. They notice how naturally it all comes back to her, because they've all caught her singing once or twice. " _That only seems to get much stron-ger_."

" _And I know it's hard, to see the one you've come to lean on make his way_." Andrew takes the stage again.

" _Far beyond the womb but I can't st-ay-ay_!" Ash jumps in with him, the two vocalists singing together now. They face each other, their voices mixing together in a beautifully powerful harmoney. " _I won't stop running and I'm only getting clo-ser to getting off the ground this ti-i-i-i-i-i-i-i-i-i-i-me! The sky is calling and the wind is at my shoul-ders, won't let this chance pass me by-y-y-y-y-y-y-y-y-y-y_!"

Andrew lets his mic drop to his side, smiling as he watches Ash slip back into this industry so easily.

" _Mama, I'm bent to fly_." Ash sings on her own.

They both take a breath as their guitarist does a short solo before the next verse starts.

Stiles holds Jessie in his lap, his arms around her stomach. She rubs his arm gently and he slowly rocks her in beat to the music. The couple are more than content as they listen and watch the three performers on stage together as they hold each other close.

" _Remember yesturday, before the sto-rm? Before the innocence was lo-st_?" Andrew sings, him and Ash slowly circling each other with small steps, keeping their eyes together.

" _I promised I would stay, forever mo-re. But every boy in time moves o-n_." Ash sings back to him.

" _Your wounds will heal someday_." Andrew sings, smiling at her and he steps closer to her.

" _This I know, but I am restless and so torn_." Ash replies, like they're have their own conversation, as she steps closer to him as well.

" _Mama, I can't stay here anymo-or-ore_!" Andrew's voice raises, always in a striking manner, it's _talent_. He nods to Ash, for her to take this chorus on her own.

She smiles and nods back, taking a breath because her own voice is about to climb too.

" _I won't stop running and I'm only getting clo-ser to getting off the ground this ti-i-i-i-i-i-i-i-i-i-i-me_!" Her voice booms like a powerhouse, bringing a big smile to Scott's face because it's like, just for this moment, nothing bad has happened to Ash and Scott's a little boy again, watching her perform.

Ash inches her finger at Andrew, drawing him back in the sing with her.

" _The sky is calling and the wind is at my shoul-ders, won't let this chance pass my by-y-y-y-y-y-y-y-y-y-y_!" Andrew and Ash sing together, only an arm's width betwen them. " _Mama, I'm bent to fly_!"

" _I can feel it coming_!" Ash sings.

" _A perfect storm is rising_!" Andrew sings.

" _I gotta say my last goodby-y-y-y-y-ye_!" Ash belts out, her eyes shutting as she drags the vocal out for as long as she can as the guitarist enters the proper guitar solo.

Ash and Andrew step back, letting the guitarist step forward and take his solo and the spotlight.

"Miles, ladies and gentlemen." Andrew speaks, both he and Ash gesturing to Miles dramatically and clapping.

Miles smiles, he's always been a little shy, but the applause he gets makes him feel better.

" _Mama, don't you cry_." Andrew comes back in, he and Ash walking back up to each other again. " _Don't you worry_." He sings softer than before, quieter.

Even Miles plays quieter, gentler.

" _I cannot stay here any lon-ger_." He sings.

" _I won't stop running and I'm only getting clo-ser to getting off the ground this ti-i-i-i-i-i-i-i-i-i-i-me_!" He and Ash explode together.

" _The sky is calling and the wind is at my shoul-ders, won't let this chance pass me by-y-y-y-y-y-y-y-y-y-y_!" Ash smiles, letting Andrew take that one on his own because he has an incredible voice that should be heard in a ballot as such as that one. " _Mama, I'm bent to fly. Oh, yeah, Mama, I'm bent to fly_!"

" _I can feel it coming! A perfect storm is rising_!" Andrew and Ash sing together.

Andrew purposely doesn't bring his mic back to his lips, because he always liked the way Ash ended this song when they practised it anyway.

" _I gotta say my last goodby-y-y-y-y-y-ye_!" Ash finishes strong, ending with the last strum of the guitar as well.

Applause fills the room and it's been a _long_ time since Ash has felt this way again. She turns to Andrew, both of them smiling at each other. Andrew and Miles both pull her into a hug, throwing their arms around her shoulders.

"It's good to see you again." Miles says, kissing her head.

"That was beautiful, we killed it." Andrew grins, kissing her cheek.

Ash just chuckles, hugging them both, because she's missed this. This other family, this musically gifted family she used to spend so much time with.

She looks over at the pack.

Derek meets her eyes and nods, a small smile on his lips.

Scott looks at her too, blowing a kiss from his hand in her direction.

Ash smiles back at them both before looking back to Andrew and Miles.

"We need you, Ash. We need you here with us." Andrew says.

Ash just looks at the two males.

"C'mon, Ash." Miles coaxes.

"I'll uh..I'll think about, alright?" Ash says, because it took a lot for her to even come here for this one off. But she can't deny how amazing it felt to be up on stage singing her heart out again either.

"Okay." Andrew nods.

"But I'll be around, this won't be the last time you see me, I promise." Ash assures them.

"Good." Miles smiles.

"I think your crew is waiting on you." Andrew says, looking past her to where her 'crew' are standing.

"Yeah, I should get going." Ash says.

"Okay." Andrews nods, then brings the mic back up to his mouth. "One more round of applause for Ash McCall, ladies and gentleman." He says, pointing to her.

Ash's cheeks flush a dark red but she smiles awkwardly at the audience as they clap.

She all but leaps off the stage when they're done.

She shyly looks at the pack.

"That was beautiful." Derek says, making the girl look up at him. "And you're beautiful." He says.

"That was smooth." Stiles comments under his breath, but they all hear it.

But Derek doesn't care. He takes Ash's face into his hands and the others make conversation, giving them some privacy.

"I told you." Derek says with a small smirk. "You loved being up there again, admit it."

"I'm not admitting anything." She says. She hugs into him, hiding her face in his neck. "But I did love it. Thank you for convincing me to do it." She says quietly, not being cheeky now, instead being quite sincere.

"Don't mention it." He says back.

..

 _2 weeks later_

Derek sits at his dining room table alone, the sun's not even up yet.

Ash is still asleep in his bed, cosy and curled up on his pillow.

Stiles is still snoring away upstairs, he hears Jessie's heartbeat as well, but it's not even, she's not asleep.

Derek doesn't look up when the very girl tiptoes down the stairs in the dark.

The two and a half months pregnant Jessie sports the smallest of baby bumps.

She holds her hand over it as she walks over to the table in loose pajama shorts and a KISS singlet.

"Derek, what are you doing up?" She says him, taking the seat beside him, sitting with one foot on the ground and a leg crossed over her leg.

"Can't sleep." He says, still looking down.

Jessie looks down as well, noticing her brother's fiddling with something.

She cautiously looks back up at him, so for some kind of explanation.

"It's the ring I brought Ash." He says, because he can feel her looking at him.

He opens his hand, allowing Jessie to see the ring the whole pack noticed on the oldest girl's middle finger so a good month or so now.

"Hey, why isn't she wearing it?" Jessie asks him.

"She takes it off when she showers. Something about the chemicals in the shampoo..she's being very careful with it." He says with a soft smile, because it's sweet. "She showered and got into bed, fell asleep." He explains.

"Okay.. So, you're sitting out here, toying with it? When you should in there asleep as well?" Jessie asks with furrowed eyebrows.

"I guess so." Derek says.

"Hey, look at me." Jessie says.

Derek looks up at her now.

"What's going on with you?" She asks him.

"Nothing." He shakes his head.

"Now, that's bullshit." Jessie calls him out. "Because late last night, when it felt like my baby was kicking me in the bladder, I spotted you down here as well." She says. "Now, you may have noticed I'm not really in a patient frame of mind the last couple weeks, so I'll ask _one_ more time. What's going on with you, Derek?" Jessie.

Derek exhales through his nose. He glances over at where his room door is shut and right then Jessie can tell it's got something to do with Ash.

"Me and Ash.." He says.

"What about the two of you?" Jessie asks, grateful he's going to talk to her about this, because she doesn't like him bottling it up.

"I..we..do you think we're kidding ourselves?" He asks his younger sister.

"What do you mean?"

"I mean..we can't just do this forever. Somewhere along the line, me or her, probably her, is gonna want more." He says.

"Like kids?" Jessie guesses.

"I don't know..maybe." He shrugs, looking down again.

"What are you so afraid of?" She asks.

Derek looks up again, with a frown.

"I'm not afraid of anything." He says, that tough exterior shining through away.

"God, what is it you want from her then, Derek?" Jessie asks him. "Do you wanna be with her, or not?"

"I do." He nods.

"Then why are you losing sleep over this? Because you already have her."

"Because I want more than that." He sighs, resting his head in his hands.

Jessie exhales softly and moves her chair a little closer to her older brother.

"Someone like Ash needs security, Der." Jessie says softly, really trying to help him because this all seems to be causing him trouble.

"And what makes you think I can make her feel secure?" Derek asks, mumbling against his hands.

Jessie smacks the back of his head, because she doesn't want to talk to his messy bed hair, she wants to talk to _him_.

Derek rolls his eyes and leans back in his chair, looking at her properly now.

"This may be a shock to you, but I'm a girl too, I know how Ash feels." Jessie says. "Stiles makes me feel secure because he's right there, always, forever. You can't tell me that's not what you are to her, because you'd be lying if you said otherwise."

"Okay, well..I don't see you and Stiles changing anything." Derek defends.

"Well, you didn't knock Ash up." Jessie shoots back without missing a beat.

"Okay, how exactly is this helping me?" Derek asks.

Jessie chuckles and reaches over, placing her hands over his on the dining table.

"Marry her, Derek." Jessie says.

Derek looks his sister right in the eye now.

"I wasn't kidding when I said it to you a month ago, and I'm not kidding now. Do it, _marry her_." Jessie enforces.

It falls quiet, for a long damn time too. Jessie starts to get nervous, thinking her brother might get mad at her for bringing that up again.

But, of course he doesn't.

"You really think I should?" Derek finally breaks the silence.

Jessie smiles and nods.

"Yeah, I really do." She says, squeezing his hands.

"So..have you thought of any names, for the baby?" Derek asks, changing the subject.

"Firstly, don't change the subject. And secondly, no, not yet." Jessie shakes her head. "Derek..are you thinking of asking her to marry you-"

"I don't know." Derek cuts her off, because it's all a lot to take in and process. He's having a hard enough time with Jessie being pregnant, let alone his own relationship difficulties and complications.

"Okay, sorry." Jessie backtracks, because she really should know better than to bombard him like that.

"No, it's okay." Derek says. "But you were right."

"About what?" She asks.

"About Jade." Derek says, looking up to meet her eyes.

"Ah. Yes, the wonder toddler." Jessie smiles.

"I don't know, Jess, I mean, I don't know if I want kids of my own but Jade's..she's different." He says.

"I know." Jessie nods. "I can tell by the way you look at her. But I do get it, I love that little girl too." Jessie says.

"Yeah..me too." Derek admits, looking over at the window so he doesn't have to look her in the eye, because he's always been reserved about his feelings.

"I already knew that." She smirks.

"Lemme ask you something." Derek says, looking at her again now.

"Yeah, anything."

"When you found out you were pregnant..how'd that.. _feel_ , you know?" He asks her.

"I mean, I was terrified. But I knew I'd be okay, because I knew I'd have you, and Ash, and Scott, and everyone. Me and Stiles knew we wouldn't go through this alone." Jessie says. "Why do you ask?"

Derek just shrugs.

"Oh, God..is she pregnant?" Jessie asks Derek. "Do you get Ash pregnant-"

"Jesus, Jessie, no." Derek shakes his head. "I just..I was just wondering."

"Because maybe a small part of you does want her to get pregnant? Because maybe you do want kids?" Jessie asks cautiously. He says he doesn't know, he says he doesn't think so, but with all these questions..one has to wonder.

"I..I don't know." Derek says, because he really doesn't.

"Alright, well..it's late. And baby and I need sleep, so I'm going back upstairs." Jessie says. "And you're going back in there. You can over think and brood all you want, just not out here, and not alone." She says.

"Okay." Derek nods.

Both Hales stand up.

Jessie hugs her brother, it confuses Derek but he lets her do it anyway.

"Go get some sleep." Jessie says, pulling back.

"Yeah, okay. Night." Derek nods.

"Goodnight." Jessie replies.

Both part ways, going back to their partners.

Jessie gets back into bed with Stiles, slipping back into his arms.

And Derek gets back into bed with Ash, pulling the girl close while she cuddles into his chest even in her unconscious state. He shuts his eyes, but he knows he won't sleep much, he'll spend the night thinking over everything he and Jessie just talked about.

And for once, it doesn't bother him too much.

..

..

 **I felt like we needed some brother and sister Hale fluff! Because Jessie understands Derek better than anyone! And, of course some singing Ash! Do we want more Hale fluff? Some Stessie baby fluff too? I know you want some Derek/Peter and Jade moments, which I'm working on too! Favourite, follow and review!**


	58. Coming Together As One

**Shout out to:**

 ***Guest: Thank you :)**

 ***Serena Sterling: Thanks! Maybe I am a little psychic :P You're welcome and thanks again!**

 **And for those of you that read my one-shot and reviewed and liked it, thank you! I may have to write some more one-shots!**

 **..**

 _One and a half months later_

Ash looks at her reflection in the mirror. She's nervous, because she's not very used to dressing up like this at all.

A red dress hugs her body, and it reaches mid-thigh.

Ash looks down at the black, strappy high heels she's wearing as well.

But this is a _big_ day.

She doesn't have time to complain, or object.

This is too big a day for her to mess up.

Ash catches a glimpse of her ring in the mirror.

She smiles down at the gold band that's beautifully marred with a single rock of ruby, knowing Derek will be standing at the alter all dressed up in a nice suit when she gets there.

"Wedding time! C'mon, let's go!" Stiles announces, barging into the McCall loft.

"Yeah, we're ready, we're just waiting on Ash." Scott says, coming into the living area, Jade running in behind him.

"Oh, look at you, you look so beautiful." Stiles says, lifting Jade up and kissing her face. "How'd you get her into a dress?" He asks, looking at Scott, because Jade's in a cute little dress as well.

"She actually wasn't too objective." Scott says as he straightens his blazer in the window reflection. "Okay. I'm good. You're good. She's good." Scott says, looking from his own reflection, to his best friend, then to his younger sister. "Wait, where's Jessie?" He asks.

"She's in the Jeep, she didn't feel like walking up all the steps again." Stiles chuckles.

"Okay." Scott says, chuckling a little too. "Okay! Ash, c'mon! We gotta go, we can _not_ be late!" He calls up to her. "Especially you of all people!"

Ash checks her reflection once more, applying a little bit on lipgloss over her lipsticked lips as well. She fixes her dress before walking down the stairs.

"Okay, I'm ready, let's go." She says.

"Wow." Scott says, looking at her.

"What? Do I have something on my face?" Ash asks him with a frown.

"No. Ash, you look amazing." Stiles says, because neither male have ever since her this dressed up before.

But this is a _big_ day.

This is too big of a day for her to mess up.

"Thanks." She says shyly, her cheeks becoming red. "Should we go?"

"Yeah, we should." Scott nods.

..

Jessie stands alongside Ash, Stiles stands alongside Derek.

Stiles looks across the alter at the girl he loves so much. He smiles softly, his eyes glancing over the baby bump that is a lot more prominent in the dress she's wearing. Dressed up like this, she doesn't look like an 18 year old, she looks like a woman, a _beautiful_ woman. The red fabric of her dress looks so nice against her fair, but not too fair, skin tone. With lips like hers, she doesn't even need a lipstick, they're pink enough all on their own. Stiles can't deny how inviting they look either, but he knows that'd be more an inappropriate. Making out with your pregnant girlfriend at someone else's wedding, in front of her brother and Uncle. No, Stiles isn't that stupid.

Jessie smiles back at him, feeling the same rush of love that Stiles feels. Stiles doesn't look like a teenager either, he definitely looks like a man, _Jessie_ 's man. Jessie doesn't know what it is, if it's the suit or if Stiles has been lifting weights, but the male seems to fill out the sleeves of his dress shirt nicely. His eyes seem to twinkle more as well, because he's truely happy to see two people he cares about come together and elope like this.

Ash and Derek look at each other. Ash smiles softly, because she's still grateful things have turned out so well for her, for all of them. She never expected to be standing here with Derek and her family like this either.

They have pack, _family_ , at their sides, and sitting down on white chairs before them.

Because this is too big a day for them to miss out on either.

Ash looks across the alter at Derek with soft eyes, at the man wearing a goddamn _suit_. Ash didn't think he could get more attractive to her, especially after she's seen him coated in grease and under the hood of a car..but she was wrong.

His broad shoulders pull at the blazer, but not enough to be awkward or uncomfortable. He's cleaned himself up a lot, shaved off that 5 o'clock shadow Ash likes so much, hell, his hair's even gelled back. Scott's doing, not his. He feels awkward but he knew how much all this meant to Ash, Jade, Scott and Stiles so he did his best to keep his complaints to himself. Besides, Hailey and Jeff have shown him kindness that not many people have, especially considering they don't know him that well either. When Ash told him they wanted him to be groomsman, he was more than surprised, but of course he accepted.

Derek gives her a soft look of his own, enjoying seeing the girl in a dress, not a singlet and jeans for once. The mid-thigh red dress hugs her closely, showing off those curves Derek likes so much. Ash's long black hair is in an elborate plaited updo that her Aunt's hairdresser did for her, Jade and Jessie. There's a few splashes of make-up here and there, just lightly. Her back is revealed, showing her tattooed angel wings proudly, and without any regrets.

"Now for the very most important part." The older priest says with a smile, making everyone simmer down until it's silent again.

Ash locks eyes with Derek, and he looks back into hers. He's never been able to get so lost in someone's eyes before, not until he met Ash. And she's never been able to forget her train of thought by looking into someone's eyes before, not until she met Derek.

"Hailey Marie McCall, do you take Jeff Leslie Brown to be your lawfully wedded husband, to have and to hold, to love and to comfort, in sickness and in health, in good times and bad, 'til death do you part?" The priest asks, looking at the bride.

"I do." Hailey nods, standing in a flattering white dress.

"Jeff Leslie Brown, do you take Hailey Marie McCall to be your lawfully wedded wife, to have and to hold, to love and to comfort, in sickness and in health, in good time and bad, 'til death do you part?"

"I do." Jeff smiles, standing in suit with a red rose pinned to it.

"Then by the power vested in me, and by the State of-" But Jeff's already kissing Hailey. "Alright, you may kiss the bride!" He says joyfully.

Everyone claps, the audience stand up as well.

Ash and Scott cheer, even Jade bounces up and down from beside her older sister.

Happy tears come to Ash's eyes, just like they did when she received that phone call two weeks ago.

 _Two weeks ago..._

 _"Auntie? Hi." Ash answers her phone._

 _"Jeff proposed!" Her Aunt Hailey squeals down the phone._

 _"Oh, my God!" Ash says joyfully._

 _"I know! I know!" Hailey smiles widely. "Listen, the wedding has to be in two weeks-"_

 _"Two weeks?" Ash repeats._

 _"I know, Jeff has to go away for business, it has to be now. And we both want to get married as soon as we can." Hailey says._

 _"Okay." Ash nods. "Okay, I'm here to help. Tell me what you need." She says._

 _They go on to talk for almost 3 hours._

 _Hailey tells her how she wants Ash to be her maid of honor, and Jeff wants Scott to be his best man. They both want Stiles to be a groomsman, and with him comes Jessie as a bridesmaid, and with Ash comes Derek as a groomsman. Hailey and Jeff talked about it, and they were happy with that line-up. There was only one thing missing. The ring bearer, and the other bridesmaid. That's where they decided Jade was grown-up enough to take that job, and when Ash explained it to the toddler, she was as excited as the other two female McCalls were. But, because Hailey and Jeff can tell the pack, well, as far as Hailey and Jeff are concerned, their **friends** , are so good to Scott, Ash and Jade, they wanted them all to be there too. As a show of thanks, for being their for the McCalls when they couldn't be. For helping soothe the hole in their hearts from their mother's passing. Just as a thanks for.. **being there**._

..

When the sun starts to go down, and the wedding's over, that's when the real fun starts.

That's when the alcohol comes out, that's when laughter fills the air and the live band that's playing lets loose a little too, having more fun with the music, moving around the stage.

"I don't dance." Derek shakes his head.

"You do now. Come on." Ash says, wiggling her fingers as she holds her hand out to him.

"No, Ash." He says.

"Derek, come on, please." She coaxes, her bright blue eyes locking onto his green orbs. He exhales through his nose before standing up.

A proper smile comes to her face and Derek can't object after seeing it. He takes her hand and they walk over to the dancefloor.

Jessie smies as she watches them come together, starting to gently sway.

"Jess." Jessie looks to her left when she hears a familiar voice say her name.

Stiles holds his hand out to her, a soft smile on his face as he looks at the beautiful girl before him.

"Come dance with me?" He asks.

"Yeah." Jessie nods, slipping her hand into Stiles' and standing up.

He kisses her hand, making her cheeks turn red, before leading her to the dancefloor as well.

The music fills their ears as it gets louder, as more people pair up and take to the dancefloor.

Stiles brings his hands to Jessie's lower back, around her waist as hers come around his neck and she leans her forehead againist his.

"Hey, Stilinski." Stiles looks up.

Derek gives him a warning look from over Ash's shoulder.

Stiles nods with a small smile, because he's come to appreciate Derek's protectiveness over his sister, Stiles knows as long as Derek's around Jessie will forever be safe.

His hands come up a little, to her mid-back.

Derek must be okay with that because his attention comes back to the beautiful girl that's right in front of him.

"Are you being an asshole?" Ash asks him, a smile dancing on her lips.

"I'm being a big brother." He says, smiling a little too, one of his own hands coming around the girl's waist to pull her closer.

Scott shoots Derek a warning look, from where he's dancing with one of Hailey's best friend's daughter, but Derek doesn't move his hands, too stubborn. Scott shakes his head, but he's smiling a little too.

They haven't been dancing for more than 2 minutes before they're interrupted.

"Can I cut in?" Hailey asks, approaching the two adults.

"Sure." Ash smiles. "Be careful, he bites." She winks at her Aunt jokingly, letting Derek go.

Derek refuses to admit it, but he does go a little red.

Ash goes over to where Isaac is sitting down with Peter as Hailey and Derek rest their hands on each other, in a completely appropriate manner.

"I uh..I can't really dance." He admits.

"It's okay, neither can I." Hailey admits too.

Derek looks to his right, seeing where Ash has now dragged Isaac to dance. The beta is shy and a little awkward on his feet but he eases into it.

Ash smiles and laughs, Isaac must have said something funny because he smiles too.

Hailey notices the soft look that comes to the man's eye as he watches her neice.

"You're serious about her, aren't you?" She asks him.

Derek looks back to Hailey now.

"I uh..I think so." He says, unsure how to answer that because he's never been good at talking about his feelings to Ash let alone someone else. Hell, Derek's mostly clueless when it comes to relationships, looking at his ex-girlfriends, it's understandable. But Ash is the same, so they're just taking the days as they come for now. They have _very_ deep feelings for one another, but it's hard for either of them to express them.

"No, you don't think, Derek. That little twinkle in your eye when you look at her? You are." She smiles.

He looks down, a little embarassed, but he doesn't disagree.

Hailey doesn't push the envelope anymore though, she just enjoys this dance with the man. She sees her niece now lead Isaac over to where the bar is. The bar that is completely paid for so the drinks are _on the house_.

"She may seem lady like sometimes, but she can drink like a male." Hailey says.

"What?" Derek asks, confused.

"Look." She says, nodding over in Ash's direction.

Derek looks over to see Ash sitting at the bar with Isaac, both with a drink in their hands. He smiles a little, because he did have a feeling she'd be as happy as she is, and he's glad she's happy.

"I'll give her an hour before I drag her away." Derek says lightly.

"Heh, good luck with that one." Hailey chuckles.

..

An hour and a half later, Derek and Ash sway together again.

The moon is now high in the sky, and Ash's head is a little dizzy from the non-stop service of cocktails over at the bar.

She was having a good conversation with Isaac, and everyone was in such high spirits that she stopped counting how many drinks she had drunken after about 4.

"Are you drunk?" Derek asks her, because he's supporting most of her weight right now.

"Not really..okay, a little." Ash admits, her cheek leant against his collarbone.

Derek chuckles under his breath.

"You know, being here reminds me of something." Derek says.

"What's that?" Ash asks, looking up at him lazily.

"When you said you'd marry me." He says, looking down at her.

"Oh, yeah, I remember." She says.

"Did you mean it?" He asks.

"Of course, I wouldn't say it if I didn't." Ash says.

"Okay, well.." Derek takes her left hand off his shoulder.

Ash just watches him, confused to what he's doing.

Derek wiggles the ring he brought her, and she wears every day, off her middle finger. He slides it onto her ring finger subtly and then pulls her close again, making sure no one saw that.

"Then do it." He says, only loud enough for her to hear. "Marry me." He whispers.

Ash feels herself sobering up _very_ quickly, as she looks up at him with wide eyes.

"Wait..are you.."

"Yeah, I am." He nods, guiding her to rest on his chest again and he rests his head just over her shoulder.

"Are you seriously asking me? This is a serious offer?" She asks, not really believing her ears.

Derek chuckles at her choice of words.

"Yes, this is a serious 'offer'." He assures her. "Marry me, Ash. If you meant what you said, and you want that, then marry me." He says.

He doesn't want to take anything away from Hailey and Jeff since this is their special day, so he's keeping quiet, he's keeping it between them. They keep dancing, both speaking in almost whispers.

But Jessie stopped to have some alcohol-free punch, and she saw that all happen. She feels like she could squeal happily, because she knows what the gesture meant. Derek's finally taking her advice. In fact, Jessie's advice has always helped when it comes to Ash. Maybe Derek should listen to her more.

Derek looks over Ash's shoulder, catching her eye.

Jessie points to her own ring finger, silently asking if that's what's happening.

Derek mouths 'maybe' back to her, then returns his attention to Ash again.

"Ash?" He says.

Ash pulls back enough to look at his face.

"Derek..don't play with me." Ash says, because she can't believe this is happening. She can't believe want he's asking her.

"I promise you, I'm not playing around." He says, taking her face into his hands. His tongue darts out to wet his lips, and he feels a nervousness settle in his chest that he hasn't felt in a long, _long_ , time. "Ash, will you marry me?" He asks her.

Ash's eyes widen and her heart's racing in her chest.

"Yeah." She nods, a smile coming to her face.

"Yeah?" He asks, a smile creeping to his face too.

"Yeah." She grins excitedly before wrapping her arms around him and hugging him tightly.

Derek hugs her back, just as tight. He looks over to where Jessie's still watching, he can see the excitement in her eyes too.

Derek nods to her gratefully, a real, warm smile dressing his lips.

Jessie almost explodes because Derek's engaged.

Derek''s getting married.

Derek.

 _Married_.

Derek puts his finger to his lips though, because Jessie can't tell anyone, not yet.

Jessie nods in understanding. She's about to walk back over to Stiles, but stops, looking back over at her brother and his _fianceé_.

"Now, for the love of God, _finally_ tell her you're in love with her." Jessie says quietly, but Derek hears her.

He looks up at Jessie and Jessie nods in encouragement, because Ash needs to hear it.

"We all know it's true, Derek. Now, she needs to hear the truth. Tell her." Jessie coaxes.

Derek takes a breath before leaning close to Ash's ear.

"I'm in love with you, Ash." He whispers.

Ash's entire body stiffens and Derek feels his stomach drop, thinking he's made a terrible mistake.

She pulls back again, looking at him.

"I'm in love with you too." Is what leaves her mouth though, making Derek flush with relief. "I love you, Derek." She says again, and it slips from her mouth so easily. And then her mouth is on his, kissing him gently.

Jessie smiles, walking away now because her work is done, and they need a little privacy.

"Everything okay?" Stiles asks as Jessie sits down on his knee.

"Everything's perfect." Jessie smiles, leaning down to peck his lips lightly.

..

..

 **This is going to sound evil, but I hope that messed with your heads just a little :P Made you think it was Ash and Derek getting married, then it wasn't, but then he proposed! Well..in is own little way, and guided by middleman Jessie :3 I have some dark ideas in my head, because it can't just be all rainbows and butterflies from here until the end of this fic.. Favourite, follow and review!**


	59. Surprise

**Shout out to:**

 ***Serena Sterling: Hehe! I'm evil, right? I'm glad you loved it! Thanks and you're very welcome!**

 ***nikavin: :)**

 ***Tesla424: Yay! I got you all with that chapter! Glad you enjoyed it :)**

 ***Bre x2: Oh, gosh! Happy Birthday! And thank you, whenever you can, there's no rush :) Enjoy your birthday!**

 ***TheHungryRainbow: Hmm.. I don't know if I can keep those promises! Sorry!**

 **..**

 _A couple days later_

Jessie looks at her enlarging baby bump in the floor length bathroom mirror at the Stilinski house. She runs her hands over it. She's now 4 months pregnant, and she can't hide her stomach anymore. But she doesn't care, she doesn't want too.

John's passing the bathroom, ready to go have his morning coffee and then get to work.

He slows to a stop outside the door because it's 6am, Jessie should still be sleeping.

"Hey." John says.

Jessie looks to her left, spotting him.

"Uh..Hi. Good morning." She says.

"Everything okay?" John asks, leaning against the doorframe.

"Yeah." Jessie nods. "I'm just..getting big." She chuckles a little.

"You look healthy, Jessie." John says, because he can't agree with her and say she is big because that'd be rude, but he can't deny the girl's stomach is expanding either.

"Thanks." She smiles softly. "You know..they say at this stage the baby's about the size of a bell pepper." Jessie says, looking at her reflection again.

"Yeah, I know." John nods, because he was told the same thing when Claudia was pregnant with Stiles. "Are you sure you're okay? You really should be sleeping." He says.

"No, I'm okay." She shakes her head. "Sleep's been a little hard to find lately."

"Something I can do to help?" John asks her.

"Well..no, it's fine."

"C'mon, Jessie. You're a part of this family now, you can ask for help." John coaxes, stepping into the bathroom now.

That makes Jessie's eyes soften because John has been nothing but supportive since he found out Jessie was carrying Stiles' baby.

"Well..I'm starving." She says with a chuckle.

John chuckles a little too and nods over to the stairs.

"C'mon, let's make some breakfast then." He says.

Jessie smiles widely now. She follows him, one hand on her stomach and one holding up Stiles' too-big-for-her trackpants that's she's currently wearing, because they sit loosely around her growing waist.

..

Both Ash and Derek are early morning birds this morning, both up and wide awake before the sun.

Ash smiles down at him as she sits on his stomach and he lays back on his pillow, looking up at her with his hands behind his head. Ash puts her hands on his bare chest and easily becomes distracted by the ring on her finger.

"Did you really mean what you said the other night?" She asks her. "You really want me to marry you? You really love me?" She asks, finally meeting his eyes now, because she's in far too deep now, if he was lying about those things..she couldn't handle that.

"Yeah, I do." Derek nods, because he's been thinking about it for the past two days and he doesn't regret the things he did and said at Hailey and Jeff's wedding, not even a little bit.

"You know I'm not changing my name, right?" Ash asks with a smile pulling at her lips.

"Hyphenate it." He says, because he wouldn't ask her to take his name because her family name holds too much. Too many memories and lost loved ones. Just like his family name does too.

"Are you _sure_ you meant it?" Ash can't help but ask. "You know marriage is, like, a _huge_ commitment." She says.

"I know." Derek nods, looking up at her.

"And you want that?" She asks him.

"Ash, you don't have to marry me if you don't want too." He says, because she sounds..doubtful. He's not admitting it out-loud, but that does sting a little.

"No, I want too, I really want too." She quickly assures him, because she sees that silent hurt he feels from the way his eyebrows furrows and his jaw tightens. "I just..I can't believe you'd want to marry me. I mean..I don't know." She shrugs shyly, brushing her hair behind her ear.

"Why wouldn't I want to marry you?" He asks her curiously.

"I don't know..I'm just.. _me_." She shrugs.

"That's exactly why I do want to marry you, Ash." He says, sounding amused. "Because I..I love you for _you_." They're both still getting used to using that word, 'love'. It's still true, but they aren't used to having someone to love like this again. "We don't have to have a wedding or anything, I just want you to have the ring and know what it means and where we stand." He tells her, resting his hands on her thighs now. "It doesn't have to be legally done, I really don't care as long as _you_ understand." He says, looking her in the eye.

"That I'm yours and only yours for good?" Ash guesses.

"Exactly." He nods, a smile creeping up on him because that sounds.. _comforting_. He knows it, and she knows it too, and soon everyone else will know it. Ashlyn McCall belongs to Derek Hale, and he to her, there is no one else is the mix. "See? Why would we need a wedding now?"

"You know..when people find out, certain people are going to want a wedding." Ash says.

"And who's that?" Derek asks, because he can deal with Scott or Stiles-

"My Aunt." Ash says with this cute little awkward smile.

-oh.

"Right." Derek says, because he should have been able to guess that one.

"It's okay, I just..I won't tell her." Ash says, but she frowns because even saying that tasted sour.

"And then what? You just take the ring off whenever you're with here as well?" Derek asks with his own sour look.

"No, never." Ash promises his, leaning down and kissing him softly. She sits back up and knows there's only one other option then. "Well..then I tell her we're engaged. And then we're most probably forced into having a wedding." She says, but she isn't as unhappy about that as she thought she would be.

Surprisingly, neither is Derek.

"Let's just take each day as it comes, huh?" Derek says.

"Yeah, I like that one better." Ash nods. Then she looks down at how she's sitting on him. "How is it I'm not crushing you?" She asks him.

This makes Derek snort out a huff of laughter.

"Firstly, you don't weight nearly enough to do that. And second, werewolf, remember?" He reminds her.

"Right." Ash nods. "Big bad alpha wolf, right?" She asks with a small smirk.

"That's right." Derek nods, looking a little proud of himself. "Lay down with me." He says.

Ash nods, but instead of getting off him she wiggles down his body until she can lay down on him.

"Comfy?" Derek asks, raising an eyebrow.

"Very." She nods, hugging his body and squashing her cheek into his chest.

The alpha wraps his arms around her as well, pressing a kiss to her head. He relaxes, tuning in his hearing to check on..oh. Isaac's the only one here, Derek forgot.

Stiles has been staying at the Hale loft lately, last night was the first night Jessie's left and stayed over at Stiles since they found out she was pregnant. The wolves like to be close to her, so they can protect her, look out for her, just in case something were to happen.

Ash feels Derek become tense, because he's over-thinking, his mind running through every bad thing that could happen while they aren't all there to watch over her. Sure, Stiles will protect her and their baby with his life..but he's only human.

"What's wrong?" Ash asks, opening her eyes.

"Jessie, she's..not here." He says with a soft frown.

"C'mon." Ash says, sitting up again. "Let's go see them."

"It's not even 7am, Ash, they won't be-"

"Well, it's either that or you sit here all emotionally constipated until she comes home. So, let's just go over there and see them, okay?" Ash says.

"Okay." Derek nods with a real smile this time, because she knows him very well, and he likes that. Because even if he can't say how he feels, she can always tell. And she always tries to help as well.

..

Derek and Ash aren't surprised when John answers the door, dressed in his Sheriff's uniform, his gold badge shining bright, reading ' '.

"Good morning." John says. "Come in." He invites, opening the door up more.

Both Derek and Ash walk inside.

This part is the surprising part.

Jessie sits at the dining room table, surrounded with different foods.

Eggs, cooked all the way through of course, bacon, toast smothered with butter, blueberry waffles, pancakes, the works.

"What's all this?" Ash asks, walking over to her.

"The baby was hungry, so I made us some breakfast." John says, sitting back down with Jessie.

" _Some_?" Derek questions, because that's a lot more than some.

"Stiles will be up soon, he'll eat a lot." Jessie shrugs.

"But please, feel free to eat as well." John says, motioning to the food.

Ash smiles even wider now, taking a piece of bacon between her fingers and bringing it to her mouth.

John chuckles, shaking his head fondly, because she's had bad table manners since she was born. Then he notices something different.

"What? Something on my face?" Ash asks as the oldest man continues to look at her.

"No, just.. That." He says, pointing out Ash's ring.

"Oh." Ash says, looking down at it as well. Ash has been sneaky about it all, she hasn't really had it out on display, because it now sits on her ring finger, and her and Derek haven't really talked about telling other people yet.

"It just isn't where it usually is." John comments, bitting into his waffle.

Jessie's eyes flicker to Derek and his flicker to her too.

"Oh, uh.." Ash isn't sure what lie to tell, because she doesn't really want to lie to John, and she doesn't want to offend Derek by lying either. "I..heh." She chuckles awkwardly, because she really doesn't know what to tell him.

"I proposed." Derek says, because he's not going to lie, and he doesn't want Ash to lie either.

There's a loud clatter of silverware as John drops the knife he was using to spread jam over his waffle. It crashes on his plate with his fork as well.

"You..you _proposed_?" John asks, looking at Derek.

"Yeah." Derek nods.

"And I said yes." Ash adds.

Jessie smiles proudly, hiding it behind her 4th pancake.

"Okay..wow. I mean.. _wow_." John says, a little shocked. Okay, a _lot_ shocked.

"We don't want people to know yet..we're still working it out." Ash says. "So, if you could.."

"Yeah, I uh..I won't say anything to anyone else." John nods.

"Okay, cool." Ash nods.

They fall into an awkward quiet, only sounds of cutlery being moved and the pouring of juice and chewing filling the silence.

"You know..congratulations." John breaks the silence, realising he left out this part, the important part.

"Thanks." Ash smiles a little.

"Sorry, I just..I never really expected this." John chuckles, scratching the back of his neck.

"I bet you never expected this either." Jessie says, rubbing a hand over her bump, to help lighten the mood. And it does, because John laughs genuinely now.

"No, not really." John says. "But really, I'm happy for you two." John says, looking at Ash and Derek now. "And you and Stiles." He says, looking at Jessie now. "Jesus, I think I just grew a few more grey hairs." He says lightly making Ash smile. "Can I ask why the hesitation to tell people?" He asks the newly engaged couple.

"We.." Ash starts but she finds she doesn't have a proper reason.

"I guess..I asked Ash at Hailey's wedding, we didn't want to take anything away from that so we kept it between us." Derek says.

"Okay, well, it's not their wedding anymore. And I'm sure the pack would be more than happy to hear some more good news." John points out.

"Yeah." Ash nods.

Derek looks at her and she looks at him.

"Yeah." Derek nods too. "We should tell them."

"Yeah, you should, today." Jessie adds in.

Both young adults look over at her with raised eyebrows.

"Or, you know, whenever." She says with that sweet, innocent smile.

A sleepy pair of footsteps slide down the stairs now.

"What's happenin'? Where's Jessie?" Stiles asks with a yawn, walking into the living room to find Ash and Derek are here, and there's a full table of food.

Then he spots Jessie, and he looks relieved to have found her since he woke up to an empty, cold bed and no pregnant girl cuddled into him minutes ago. And that certainly got him up and out of bed.

"Mornin', babe." He says tiredly, kissing Jessie's head. "And morning to you too, baby." He says, bending down to kiss her stomach. He snatches up a piece of bacon and shoves it into his mouth as he sits down in the seat beside Jessie.

Ash and Derek just watch Stiles, both very content with the amount of affection Stiles still manages to show Jessie and their baby considering it looks like he could use another 4 hours or so of sleep.

And Derek won't admit it out-loud, but he's proud that Jessie and the baby are the very first things the other male seeks out when he wakes up in the morning.

"What's with the early morning visit?" Stiles asks, looking at Ash and Derek.

"Oh..we were just around." Ash says, covering for Derek's insanely protective side.

Derek hides his smile, making a mental note to make it up to her later.

"I'm glad you're up, we gotta see the Doc today, don't we?" Stiles asks Jessie.

"No, that's tomorrow, Stiles." She says, shaking her head with a fond smile.

"Everything okay?" Derek asks her.

"Yeah, of course." Jessie nods.

"We get to find out if my baby's a boy or a girl." Stiles grins excitedly.

"Oh, my God. That's awesome." Ash smiles. "When are you going?"

"We're leaving in the morning, we have a few other things to do but the appointment's for around lunchtime." Jessie says.

"So..are you coming home tonight?" Derek asks her.

"Yeah, Derek. I'm coming home tonight." She assures him, because she knew he'd be worrying about her, they all are, Scott's already called Stiles twice since yesturday to check in. It's sweet, it makes Jessie feel safe. "So..maybe that thing you need to do, you should do it tonight, hmm?" Jessie suggests.

"Maybe." Derek nods.

"What thing?" Stiles asks. "I wanna know about the thing." He whines, feeling left out. Jessie's right, he is a child sometimes, but she loves that about him

"How about this? Everyone can come over tonight for dinner..we'll deal with it then." Ash says, looking at Derek for confirmation.

"Yeah, okay." Derek nods.

"I want all of you there, that means you as well, Sheriff." Ash says to John.

"Yes, ma'am." John smiles with a salute.

"You'd better call your Aunt then." Jessie says.

"Yeah." Ash nods with a soft exhale. Ash loves her Aunt and Uncle, make no mistake, but she knows her Aunt is going to go nuts when she tells her. She'll want to help plan the wedding, she'll want to come look at dresses..but Ash still finds she isn't that objective to the idea as she thought she'd be.

"Okay, well I should get going to work." John says, standing up.

"Leave the dishes, I'll do them." Stiles tells him.

"Thanks, son." John smiles.

As those three continue to talk amongst themselves, Derek and Ash look at each other.

Ash raises her eyebrows, silently asking if that's all okay with him.

Derek nods, because he is okay with it.

"I should get back to Jade too." Ash says, standing up as well.

"Yeah, we'll see you two later then, yeah?" Stiles says.

"Yeah, you will." Ash nods.

"And I wanna know the thing." He says.

"You'll know." Derek says.

"Good." Stiles smiles smugly, leaning his cheek against Jessie's shoulder because he's still quite tired.

"Okay, see you all tonight then. My place, 8 o'clock, don't be late." Ash directs.

..

 _Later on that night_

Everyone sits around the McCall table, digging into an array of foods. Salads, meats, different breads. They stack their plates high and begin eating without hesitation.

Ash stands up by the kitchen, smiling softly at them all.

Her Aunt and Uncle are buzzing, engulfed in conversation with Isaac and Scott while Hailey bounces Jade on her knee.

Stiles and Jessie are sitting close together. Stiles is rubbing her stomach as he talks to her while Jessie eats a forkful of a roasted vegetable salad with a smile on her face.

Even Derek and John seem to be having a good conversation, Ash can tell by Derek's relaxed shoulders and the way John looks at the alpha with soft eyes.

"You're missing out." Peter says as he walks over to stand beside Ash. He crosses his arms over his chest and looks at her.

"So are you, Old Man." Ash smirks, turning her head to look at him too now, crossing her own arms over her chest.

"If you're gonna join my family, you can't be as sarcastic as I am, you know that, right?" Peter asks her.

Ash's eyes widen.

"Yeah, I know about the ring. I saw you two at the wedding." Peter tells her quietly.

"Why didn't you say anything?" Ash asks him.

"Because maybe I'm tired of being hated." Peter says.

"We don't hate you, Peter." Ash says truthfully because they've all come a long way, especially Peter, things are different now.

"You know, that ring belonged to my sister." Peter says.

"This one?" Ash asks, pointing to the one of her finger.

Peter nods.

"What? No..Derek brought it." Ash says.

"No, Ash, he didn't. It belonged to his mother. He probably didn't tell you that because he knew you wouldn't accept it." Peter says.

"Peter, I..I can't keep this." Ash says.

"See?" Peter says. "Trust me, he wouldn't have given it to you unless he was _absolutely_ sure he wanted _you_ to have it." Peter assures her. "You must really mean a lot to him, Ash."

"He means a lot to me." Ash says. "Does Jessie know who this belongs too?" Ash asks him. "I can't step on that-"

"You're not stepping on anything. And yes, I'm sure Derek let her know." Peter nods. "I also know that there's a reason you brought us all here tonight as well."

"Yeah..there is a reason." Ash nods.

"Well, I think your fiance's waiting." Peter says, looking past her.

Ash turns around and looks at Derek.

Derek meets her eyes and nods, because they need to do this now, before it gets too late and people start wanting to get home.

"Go on." Peter urges.

Ash gives him a small smile and a nod before walking over to Derek. But she doesn't sit down, she takes his hand, guiding him to his feet.

"Excuse us for a minute." She says to the others to be polite.

Derek frowns, a little confused, but he lets her lead him outside onto the McCall's balcony.

Ash shuts the doors behind her before turning to him.

"Something wrong?" Derek asks her.

Ash shakes her head.

"I'm really honored to be wearing your Mom's ring." She says.

Derek caught off guard by the statement, and he finds he can only look at her because he isn't sure what he's supposed to say, she wasn't really supposed to know that. But, then it clicks.

"Peter told you." Derek guesses.

"Yeah. He knows about us, he saw us at the wedding, but he's kept it to himself." Ash says.

"I didn't tell you the truth about it because.." Derek just trails off, but Ash already knows the answer.

"Because you didn't think I'd say yes if you did." Ash finishes for him.

Derek nods.

"I know you, Ash." He says, meeting her eyes now. "A big diamond ring isn't your thing, you don't really care for money or possessions, I know that. I knew a expensive ring wasn't the way to your heart. I was..I was going through this box of things, things the fire didn't manage to ruin." Derek's voice becomes quieter, almost sad, Ash almost can't hear him. He now also won't look her in the eye either, instead focusing on his boots.

"That's why the ring was the most important part for you." Ash says, piecing it together now. Not that having a big wedding is really something either of them would do, but he was very precise about the ring part. Now she knows why.

"Yeah." He nods. "I saw it and..it was.. _perfect_. It had your birth stone, and it was important to me and my family."

He licks his lips and drags his eyes up to look at her now.

"Important to us like you're important to me." He says.

"You're important to me too." Ash says. "I love you, Derek." She says.

"I know." He nods.

"Do you love me?" She asks him.

Derek steps forward, touching his hand to her cheek and wiping over it with his thumb gently.

"You how no idea how much." He says, and Ash's stomach is set a-fluttering because he's never been so bold before. "I wanna marry you..I've never wanted someone like this before." He admits.

"Neither have I." Ash says. "I just..I wish our families were here to see this too." She says, a hint of sadness in her voice.

"I know. Me too." He nods. "God..your Mom's gotta be pissed." He says with a soft look.

Ash chuckles.

"When she finds out I'm marrying you, maybe." Ash chuckles. "No, she'd be proud. Of me, of you, of how far we've come, of how far we've all come." She says more seriously now.

"She would." He agrees.

"And I didn't know your family but..I know they'd be proud of you too." Ash says to him.

Derek just nods, because he doesn't really have anything to say back to that, but he doesn't need to say anything.

"Let's go inside and tell them we're getting married." Ash says, a smile coming to her face. "Let's scare the hell out of them."

Derek cracks, a chuckle passing his lips now too. Because John's reaction proves how out of the blue this all is, except to Jessie of course considering this was her idea, her _plan_.

"Yeah." Derek nods, threading his fingers through hers.

He opens the door, letting her go in first. They both walk over to the table, sitting down again, Ash sitting on his knee.

"Hey." Ash says loudly, getting everyone's attention. "We, uh..we have some news." She says, looking at Derek and then back at the pack again.

Suddenly, with all the attention, Ash feels like her throat's dried up and she finds she can't continue to speak. She immediately empathises for Jessie for when she went through the same thing with announcing her pregnancy.

"Ash? What news?" Scott asks when his older sister doesn't go on.

Jessie's eyes shoot to Derek's, much like this morning.

Derek nods, because he knows what Jessie's asking.

Jessie looks to Ash now, waiting for the words to come out of her mouth.

Ash looks down in her lap, fidgeting with her ring. She takes a deep breath before putting it on the table, so they can all clearly see it no longer sits on her middle finger, it sits proudly on her ring finger.

Stiles is the one that understands straight away, his eyebrows almost hitting the damn ceiling.

For others..they need a little more than that.

"We're engaged." Ash says, and she can't help the nervous but still sincere smile that comes to her face as she says it.

Jessie smiles widely, while the others just look shell-shocked, like John did, and like they all did when Jessie and Stiles announced the pregnancy.

But then that slips away.

Tears spring to Hailey's eyes and she gets up, drawing her oldest niece up to hug her tightly. And then, much to Derek's surprise, him as well.

Jeff shakes Derek's hand firmly, giving him a proud nod.

Jessie embraces Ash tightly, happy tears streaming down both cheeks that she apologies for and blames on her pregnancy and the hormones.

Ash is hugged by Isaac next, clapped on them shoulder by Peter.

Then Scott stops in front of Derek, and the two wolves are just looking at each other.

"You asked my sister to marry you?" Scott asks.

"Yeah, I did." Derek nods, trying to assess Scott's reaction.

Then a goofy smile breaks out across Scott's face.

"You have no idea how long I've been waiting for you to do something like that, man." Scott says, holding his hand out to Derek.

It's one of the most comforting things for Ash to see, to see them shakes hands then for Scott to pull him into a one-armed hug and congratulate the older man.

"And you." Scott says, pulling back from Derek to look at Ash. "You're gonna make a beautiful bride, big sister." He says.

Ash crashes into him, hugging him tightly.

Scott hugs her back just as tight, resting his head against hers.

"I'm so happy that you're happy, Ash." Scott says.

"So am I." Ash says, because after everything that's happened, all the death and the violence and the fighting..she never thought she could be happy again.

She was wrong.

She was _very_ wrong.

..

..

 **Well, there you go! The pack know everything there is to know! But, like I said earlier, it can't all be sunshine and ponies forever, there's some darkness coming..in the next chapter! Prepare yourselves! Bring tissues! Favourite, follow and review!**


	60. The Unexpected

**Shout out to:**

 ***Susana: Yeah, you get a proposal and maybe a wedding if I decide to do that part before I finish! Thanks :)**

 ***Serena Sterling: Hmm..you'll see. Thank you :) You're welcome!**

 ***jayesh dms (ch57): I'm glad :)**

 ***jayesh dms (ch58): Thank you! Good, I liked it too :)**

 ***jayesh dms: Yay, I read your mind! Stiles is very protective of Jessie and baby :3 Yes, those two are very insecure when it comes to love, so they need the reassuring. I think I like Peter the way he is now so I don't think I'll have him do anymore meddling :)**

 ***Bre: Good! Happy Birthday again, I hope you had a really nice day :)**

 **..**

 _The next day_

"You ready for today?" Stiles asks, rolling onto his stomach to look at Jessie.

She lays side-on, looking at him as well now.

"Yeah." She nods.

Stiles rests his hand on her cheek, gently caressing it with his fingers.

"I was scared at first, but now..I'm so excited, Jess." Stiles says.

"Me too." Jessie says, putting her hand over Stiles'.

"Then let's shower and head out." He says, getting up. He has to help her up because she _was_ a small girl, her stomach is slowly becoming a problem for her now. The size though, because Jessie doesn't care how much help she needs if it means her little miracle is safe inside.

..

Stiles and Jessie come down the stairs together, hand in hand.

Jessie wears a grey and purple Maxi dress considering the sun's out and shining by now.

Stiles wears his usual jeans, and a singlet for today's whether, a singlet that makes it much easier for Jessie to check-out how much more muscle dresses Stiles' arms now.

They pause, looking out onto the balcony.

Derek leans over the railing, a smoke hanging from his lips and Ash at his side, as she usually is.

The two adults like to make out to everyone that their relationship is only physical, but the whole pack know that's bullshit. How they are together, how they've threaded the other into their lives not around it, how they goof around and wrestle when they think nobody's watching and how they are right now, sharing. They pack may be yet to hear the words 'I love you' leave either of their lips, but they're sure they've been said. They better of if they're getting married.

Derek feels them looking at him and he hands the cigarette to Ash. They have a, odd to some people, habit of sharing whenever they smoke. Jessie thinks it's actually kind of sweet. Derek blows his mouthful out and turns to look at the couple. He raises his eyebrows, looking between them.

Ash turns around too, spotting them.

"Good morning. What's up?" Ash asks them.

"We're heading out, we'll be back around dinner time." Jessie says.

"Finding out the baby's sex, right?" Derek asks.

"Yeah." Stiles nods. "And a couple other things."

"What kind of things?" Ash asks curiously.

"Just.. _things_." Jessie says. Jessie and Stiles want to do some window shopping, start looking at things for the baby..maybe even a couple houses close by. Because by the time the baby's born, the Hale loft is going to feel a little more than cramped. Realistically, Jessie and Stiles need to start their family in their own home. But that's still in the works, they're still thinking it through, so they're not telling anyone yet.

"Yeah, I might have a few things to do today myself." Ash says, but she sighs.

"What's wrong?" Stiles asks her.

"It's Jade, she..I have to buy her a bed soon. Like a _real_ bed, a _big_ kid's bed." Ash says.

"It's okay, I'll come with you." Derek says, taking the smoke from her hand and bringing it back to his own lips.

"Thanks." Ash says with a little smile. "She's just growing up, faster than I can keep track of."

"Jesus, you are such a Mama Bear." Jessie says with a chuckle.

"Look who's talking." Derek says, amused.

"Hey, watch it, Papa Bear." Jessie shoots back with a huge grin, because Derek doesn't have anything to say back to that. Jessie knows how Derek really feels about Jade, he's not just protective of her, he's like her father, and Derek's okay with Jessie knowing because he trust her.

"How is the baby this morning?" Ash asks her.

"Active. I've been peeing all morning." Jessie says, touching her stomach.

"That's uh..that's good to know." Derek says and the look on his face makes Stiles chuckle.

"Okay, c'mon." He says, looking at Jessie.

"Yeah, we should go." Jessie agrees.

"Look after them." Derek says, and Stiles knows he's talking to him.

"I will." Stiles nods.

"We'll see you later on." Jessie says, waving to the two as her and Stiles walk out the front door.

"Heh." Ash smiles once they've left. "God, they're so.."

"Like their own little family?" Derek supplies.

"Yeah, exactly." Ash nods as she puts the cigarette out in the ashtray. She walks into the loft but turns around when Derek doesn't follow. "Hey, everything okay?" She asks him.

Derek nods.

"Where's Jade?" Derek asks her.

"With Scott for the day, he said something about a movie, maybe lunch. He wants to spend some one on one time with her." Ash tells him.

"Okay." Derek nods.

Then a grin comes to his face.

Ash bursts out giggling when he picks her up, making a beeline for the bedroom.

"I forgot my phone." Jessie says, digging through her handbag, looking for it.

"Here, I'll get it." Stiles says.

He goes back into the loft, spotting it on the coffee table and scooping it up.

Ash's giggles fill his ears and he cringes when they're coming from Derek's bedroom.

"Yeah, I'm still here!" Stiles calls out.

"Shit." Ash says, but she can't stop giggling because Derek's kissing along her throat and neck so lightly it feels like his tickling her with his stubble.

"Hurry up and go, Stiles. We're about to get much louder." Derek tells the younger boy.

Ash's mouth falls open but Derek just shrugs with a small smirk, because it's true.

"Oh, Jesus Christ. You're a mongrel, Derek." Stiles screws his face up, darting out of the loft as fast as he can.

Ash chuckles at the insult, knowing it was only half-hearted..sort of.

Stiles goes over to where Jessie's waiting, passing over her cell.

"Everything okay?" Jessie asks him, seeing the look on the male's face.

"Yeah." He nods, trying to get rid of it.

"Oh, gross." Jessie realises. "Couldn't they at least wait until we were more than 3 steps away from the loft?" She asks.

"Could we?" Stiles grins.

Jessie chuckles and Stiles takes her hand in his, threading their fingers together, before they begin walking down the stairs to the Jeep.

..

Derek wakes up, slowly blinking away unconsciousness.

The afternoon sun's shining right over his face. He looks to his right to see a mess of long black hair with a bare back inked with large angel wings. He leans over and drops a kiss between her shoulder blades.

Ash stirs a little but doesn't wake up.

He threads his arm under her's so he's practically spooning her. He tucks his face into her neck before letting himself slip back to sleep as well.

..

This time, when Derek wakes up, he's startled awake.

The room is dimer than it was earlier, because the sun's slowly starting to set now. They've slept most the day away. It's actually quite a nice change.

Derek blinks, rubbing his eyes. He looks down, seeing Ash laying on his chest, now wearing a shirt, but she's gripping him tightly. He frowns, feeling her heart thumping againist his chest.

"Ash?" He says in a sleepy voice. But she's not awake. "Hey, Ash?" He says, shaking her gently.

This only makes the frown on the girl's face deepen.

"Hey, c'mon, wake up." He says, shaking her with a little more force, hearing her heart start to race even more.

That wakes her up.

She gasps softly, opening her eyes.

"Ash?" Derek says, seeing tears in her eyes.

Ash just gets off of him, going into his bathroom without saying a word to him. She closes the door behind her and locks it, turning on a tap and washing cold water over her face.

Derek's so confused, all he can do is watch her as she walks away from him, only in her over-sized tee that hangs off one shoulder and underwear.

When the door shuts and locks behind her, the alpha gets out of bed, finding a pair of drawers to pull on, because he can't really comfort her while he's naked, that's..that's not the way things should be done.

He walks over to the door and knocks on it.

"Ash?" He calls out, knowing something's wrong by not just her actions moments ago, but by the way he can hear her heart thumping in her chest so loud her breathing's thrown off it's usual pattern too.

But she doesn't answer him, she just shakes her head, trying not to cry as she looks at herself in the mirror because when she has nightmares like she just was, they're always horrible. And these ones were horrible, just like they always are.

"Ash, c'mon. Let me in." He says, not using his alpha voice at all. He doesn't want to assert her, he wants her to _trust_ him. "Let me help." He says, leaning his forehead against the door.

Ash ignores the request, trying to calm herself down.

Derek sighs and sits down on the floor, leaning his back against the door.

"Whatever's wrong, you can tell me." He tries.

Ash hears him but just continues to look at her reflection. She washes water over her face again, in hopes to wash away the awful things she dreamt.

When Derek hears her start to cry, he stands back up again.

He knocks again.

"Ash, open the door." He says. Her state is worrying him, a big part of him is more than tempted to just _push_ his way inside. But he knows he can't be like that with Ash, this sort of thing is different.

Derek doesn't get any sort of reply for a second time. He grabs the handle, not sure whether he's going to knock or barge in. But he doesn't get to decide, because the lock clicks.

Then the door opens.

Ash looks up at him, the girl a mess of tears and tiredness.

Derek's face falls when he sees her.

"Hey." He frowns, putting his hand to her cheek.

He doesn't even have time to ask what happened or what's wrong because she rushes forward, hugging around his waist tightly and hiding her face againist his neck.

"It's okay." He assures her. "Ash, it's okay, calm down." He says.

But she just keeps crying.

That's when he smells something on her, something he's smelt on each member of the pack a lot in the past year. Something he wishes he'd never have to smell of them.

 _Fear_.

He puts it together easy enough after that.

 _Nightmares_.

She must have been having nightmares.

He doesn't really need to ask what they were about. After everything that's happened, Melissa's death, the Skinwalkers, being kidnapped, the Vampires, being turned and then having to go through the painful process of turning back, and all the terrible loss and pain she's been through in her life before all of that, you may as well take your pick.

"It's okay, Ash." He hushes her, brushing his hand down her head, letting her cry into him, because he knows she feels just a little better when he can hold and comfort her when she cries. It lets her know that she's not going through any of this alone.

That ring, the one that belonged to Tahlia that Derek used to ask Ash's hand in marriage, it symbolizes all of that. It symbolizes that he's going to be here, for the good times, the bad times, the rough times and the smooth sailing. It symbolizes that she won't ever be alone again. And she's not alone, because he's right here, where he should be, where he belongs.

"Tell me what happened, let me help." He says to her.

"S-Something's wrong, Derek." Ash says with a hiccup, speaking through the lump in her throat and the tears clouding her voice.

Derek pulls back a little and looks at her face.

"What do you mean something's wrong, Ash? What's wrong?" He asks her. "What happened?"

"I-I don't know." She says, sniffing and wiping the tears from her face. "I just..I have the worst feeling in the pit of my stomach and I saw.. I dreamt.. Something's wrong." She says again.

She's unsure of what exactly she saw. It was one of those dreams where once you wake up, it starts to slip away from you. But she knows it was violent and bloody, and she knows her family and the ones she love were screaming in agonizing pain. The details aren't important. It's the feeling that she awoke with, that's stayed with her, that's important. That's what's _bad_.

Derek looks in her eyes and he knows, he just _knows_ , she's telling the truth. She wouldn't be this upset if she didn't truly believe something was wrong, or that something was going to go wrong. But he's not pushing for details, because if it were him and she'd caught him in the middle of a nightmare that bad, he wouldn't give her details either.

"Okay, let me call around." He says, turning away to get his phone. He stops though, looking back over at her because she's still upset and she's not getting any better. "Ash..we'll figure it out." He says. "Okay?" He says, rubbing her back.

Ash nods, but she feels sick to her stomach. Something _bad_ has happened or is going to happen, and Ash is afraid they're already too late.

..

"Do you have any idea where we're going?" Jessie asks even though she's driving the Jeep through the darkening night, the trees of the woods on either side of the road.

Stiles has a lot of trust in Jessie, so more and more, they've been sharing the things most valuable to each other. For Stiles, it's his Jeep. For Jessie, it's her home, Stiles stays over a lot. It sounds silly, but it's a trust thing. Their entire relationship is built around trust, it's their structure, it's the foundation.

"Nope." Stiles shakes his head. "I just wanna be with you, anywhere." He says.

Jessie smiles at him and he smiles back.

"I think Derek's going to be really happy about the baby's gender." Stiles says, still looking at Jessie.

"Why Derek?" She asks him, glancing at him quickly before looking back at the road.

"I don't know, just..I think he'll be happiest." Stiles says. He reaches over and places his hand over her stomach, gently rubbing it. "The proudest, just like I am." He says.

Jessie takes a hand off the steering wheel to place over his and squeeze softly.

"I'm proud of both of us." Jessie says.

"Me too." Stiles nods.

He settles back in his seat and Jessie's hand returns to the steering wheel.

They're quiet for awhile, a comfortable quiet though, only the radio plays softly through the speakers, providing a little background sound.

Stiles looks at the radio when a certain song begins to play. He smiles, reaching over and turning it up as he moves from side to side, along to guitar strumming.

 _I remember when_

 _When I first met you_

 _I knew just what to do_

 _I had to get to know_

 _Get to know you right_

 _Through the darkness you're my light_

 _You're always on my mind_

 _I've been waiting so long_

 _For you I wrote this song_

 _Girl you don't know what you've got_

 _Until your world has gone_

 _This is why our love is strong_

" _Girl, you've got me singing with some melody_ -"

Jessie looks at her boyfriend, surprised to hear him sing. But she could see him grooving from the corner of her eye, she knew some singing probably wasn't _too_ far away.

" _You're always on my mind. This is what you do to me_." Stiles reaches over and takes Jessie's hand, bringing it up to his mouth and kissing it.

She giggles a little.

Stiles is a romantic at heart, he likes to show Jessie that, and she likes to be treated like he treats her. Like a Queen. It makes her feel special and wanted and _loved_.

" _Girl you've got me singing with some harmony. Forever you're my Queen and baby girl I'm your King_." He serenades.

She's not afraid to admit her cheeks heated up with a blush. But she's not embarrassed, she's flustered with the loving attention.

Stiles sees and smirks, happy he reached his objective. He wants her to know every day that he loves her, and he will love their baby just as much too.

They drive in a comfortable silence for a couple more minutes before they hear another car. It's not.. _normal_ though. Something's wrong, it sounds odd.

Jessie turns the radio right down and the noise is getting louder.

"What the hell's that sound?" Stiles asks. It's like some kind of screeching, like someone's pulling up the handbrake and trying to skid, but they're doing it _completely_ wrong

Jessie drives around the corner and that's when they see it.

And it doesn't matter if she'd slowed down, or if she was on her side of the road either.

"Shit!" Is the last thing Stiles hears Jessie yell as a car snakes along the road and straight in front of the Jeep, making her have to swerve so she doesn't hit him, and she goes off the road.

Then everything's black, a loud crashing sound filling the night air as the Jeep rolls down the hill, straight into a tree.

..

..

 **I told you darkness was coming! :( Favourite, follow and review!**


	61. Sinking

**Shout out to:**

 ***Serena Sterling: I know! You're welcome and thanks :)**

 ***jayesh dms: I know, I know, I'm sorry! Hmm..I'm still deciding.**

 ***Tesla424: I know, I'm horrible!**

 ***TheHungryRainbow: Well, I'm glad you don't really hate me, but sorry! Darkness needed to come!**

 ***Guest: Yes!**

 **So sorry for the late update, I've been super duper busy! Well, here's the next chapter! And it has a little bit of a spin from another television program!**

 **..**

"Okay, good. Yeah." Derek speaks on the phone to Scott. "No, everything's okay here. Your sister's just freaking out a little bit. No, relax, it's fine, I've got her." Derek assures him.

Ash paces the room, biting at her thumbnail, wet tears still down her face.

"Okay. I'll let you know." Derek says before hanging up.

Ash stops, looking up at Derek.

"Scott and Jade are fine, he put her down to sleep an hour ago and she's still there." Derek tells her.

"Okay..then it's gotta be someone else." Ash says. "Isaac, or..Peter, or-or.." Ash trails off.

"Jessie and Stiles." Derek finishes for her, his stomach flipping in a way that only worries him further. He's about to speed dial Jessie, but his phone rings before he can.

He frowns at the very vaguely familiar number, and answers it.

"Yeah." He says.

"This is Nurse Sandler from Beacon Hills Memorial, I need to speak with a Mr Derek Hale." A woman says.

"That's me." Derek says, looking up at Ash again, a confused frown on his face. "What's this about?"

"We have a Miss Jessie Anna-Lee-"

"My sister?" Derek asks, his eyes widening and that feeling in his stomach getting so much worse.

"Yes, she was-"

But Derek hangs up, he doesn't need an explanation. He grabs his car keys and finds his jeans and a shirt.

"Something happened, didn't it?" Ash asks, fresh tears in her eyes. "I was right, wasn't I?" She asks, scared.

Derek looks at her, a fearful _vulnerable_ look on his face. He nods.

"We have to go, now." He says.

..

"Where is she?" Derek asks the nurse that approaches him. "Where is she?!" He raises his voice.

Jade's half asleep in Scott's arms, and she stirs a little at his loud voice. But Scott settles her with a gentle sway.

"She is resting, she's stable." The nurse tells him.

"What happened?" Derek asks. He can feel his goddamn skin crawling.

Isaac left with them from the Hale loft, and he can see how impatient and frustrated Derek is getting.

"She was in a car accident-"

" _What_?" Derek asks sharply, stepping forward.

"Hey, Derek, c'mon." Ash says, holding his arm because he looks like he wants to shift and burst through every door until he finds Jessie.

"What about Stiles? He was with her." Scott says.

"Mr Stilinski is stable too, he's doing better than she is. Once the Doctor is finished, you can go and see him." She tells Scott.

A horrible realisation comes over Ash.

"What about the baby? Jessie's baby?" Ash asks the nurse.

"We.." The nurse stops, and Ash feels sick. "She needs more time to heal before we can get an accurate reading." She says.

"Oh, God." Ash says, her hands coming over her mouth and tears sting her eyes.

"Which room? I have to see her." Derek says, trying his best to keep as calm as possible, trying his best to keep anything wolf-like from sprouting, because he's panicking on the inside.

"You can't go in there yet-"

Derek steps right in front of the nurse and Ash grips his arm tightly.

"Where is she?" Derek asks lowly, his fangs threatening to slide out. He doesn't give a shit about hospital policies or rules, he needs to see his sister.

"Derek, don't." Isaac says, watching the alpha closely.

Scott watches Derek too. He knows Derek wouldn't hurt the nurse but..this is Jessie, his baby sister, and Scott can understand that protective need, because he feels the same way about Ash.

"Just tell me where my sister is." Derek says, looking down at the shorter woman.

"Okay." She nods, because Derek can be more than a little intimidating. "Room 14, but you can't go in yet, not until the Doctor is done checking over her wounds." She enforces, because even if they can't be certain about the baby, Jessie herself still needs a little check-up.

Derek just starts walking away, looking for room numbers.

Isaac follows his alpha, and Peter's on his way to the hospital as they speak.

"There are rules for a reason. I don't want to contact security but I will if you make me." The nurse threatens Derek.

Derek stops, turning back around to face her.

"I just wanna make sure my little sister's okay." Derek says, his voice losing all anger or impatience. Because he doesn't want to cause a scene, his only need is to check on Jessie.

The nurse looks to Ash and Scott, because they've met before, this nurse knew their Mom.

"It's okay, we'll handle it." Ash tells her. "No one will cause trouble or get hurt, I promise. He's just very protective, he just needs to see she's okay." She assures her.

"I'm trusting you, Ash." The nurse says.

"I know." Ash nods before her and Scott follow after Derek and Isaac, Jade still curled up against Scott's chest.

..

Jessie wakes up to moniters beeping. Her eyes slowly open and the bright white walls of the room sting the backs of her eyes, giving her a headache.

"Jess?" Derek calls out, unsure if she's come to or not.

Jessie looks over to her left, finding her brother standing there. Her face screws up in pain and in a single second, Derek's at her side, along with Scott who was waiting to her right, taking her pain.

"Slow down, Jess. You're really disorientated." Scott now speaks, looking down at one of his closest friends with a concerned frown.

"Where.." Jessie tries to speak but her throat's so dry from a lack of water and the craziness of the accident and hospital while she was unconcious. "St-Stiles?" She manages to say, looking between both males.

"He's in the other room. He's still out but he's okay. Ash and his Dad are with him now." Scott assures her. He was just with Stiles, John and Ash before, making sure his best friend was okay. He's not too banged up but he's still unconcious with the assurance that he will definitely wake up, he just needs a little more time.

Jessie looks down at her stomach, a deep frown coming to her face.

"The baby?" She asks, looking between Derek and Scott.

"They don't know yet." Derek tells her.

"How can they not know?" Jessie asks, becoming mad as she tries to get up. She sits up only to have a lot of pain shoot through her whole body and two pairs of hands help her to lay back down. She huffs in frustration.

"Jessie, stop. You're not helping anything by getting worked up." Derek tells her. "The nurse said you need to rest a little more then they'll check it out." He says.

"Rest? Are you serious?" She asks him. "I'm not resting." She shakes her head, trying to get up again.

" _Jessie_." Derek all but growls, holding the girl down carefully.

Scott keeps his hands on her arm as well, even though Derek can handle her just fine by himself.

"Get your..hands..off me." She breathes out, glaring at both males.

Scott knows that look and steps back, letting her go, he's see that look on Ash's face before.

Derek gives him his own glare for backing down.

Jessie pushes Derek's hands away from her and attempts to get up again. But of course, Derek was right. Jessie immediatly feels pain again, from head to toe. There's a specifically awful tug along her torso. She tries to stop it, but a small cry of pain escapes her lips.

Scott comes back to her side and both males get her to lay down again.

"Stay still." Derek tells her, a lot more sternly this time.

She needs to stop, completely stop, and let herself heal for more than 5 seconds.

"You need to rest some more. I promise, the second they give us the okay, we'll find out if the baby's okay. But, right now, you need to be okay, you need to rest. Get some sleep, we'll be right here." Derek tells her.

Jessie's face screws up in frustration and hurt. She wants to see Stiles. She wants to know if her baby's okay. She wants all of that _now_. But she can't have it now.

"C'mon, Jess." Derek says, sitting down at her bedside. "Please, rest." He says, because even if he really wants to know if the baby's okay as well, the nurse is right, Jessie needs to be okay first.

Jessie sighs and nods. She tries to get comfortable and go back to sleep, but she's having more than trouble doing so.

Derek and Scott pace around and lounge around in her room, watching over her.

 _Eventually_ Jessie is able to fall into a very restless slumber.

..

It's only a few hours later when Jessie's awake again, and she's demanding to see a Doctor. She doesn't care about healing anymore, she's growing more and more scared about her baby, because she hasn't felt movement or that urge to pee 24/7 since she woke up in the hospital.

"Okay, okay." Doctor Bailey says, holding his hands up so Jessie will stop firing questions at him.

"Let me speak." Ash says, rubbing Jessie's arm. Doctor Bailey is the Doc that patched Ash up after her father attacked her. She trusts him, at a doctor-patient level.

Bailey gives her a thankful nod when Jessie quietens down.

"The nurse that brought you in, noticed you were already spotting." Bailey says, looking at Jessie.

"Spotting? Was does that mean?" Derek asks.

Ash bites at her thumbnail now. She sighs, glancing at Derek.

"It means she was bleeding." Ash clarifies, because she's heard enough from her Mom to know.

"Well, what does that mean?" Jessie asks him. "What does it mean if I bleed?" She asks.

Scott puts his thumb to his mouth now too, because he has a feeling he knows, from hearing about his mother's days at work more times than he can count.

"Well, it isn't uncommon to experience spotting in your first couple weeks on pregnancy." The Doctor says.

"Heh. But I'm 4 months." Jessie points out nervously.

"Yes, you are." Doctor Bailey nods. "That's because during the accident, you took a blow to the stomach." He says.

Jessie can put those pieces together easier enough.

"No.." She shakes her head. Her and Stiles are so happy with this now..this can't be happening.

"Nothing is set is stone." Bailey assures her. "But after the accident, we're uncertain if the baby survived, we were waiting until you were awake to do the scans. Where you are in the pregnancy, I'm afraid the chances of survival are more on the slim side." He says.

Jessie frowns, looking so hurt by this.

"I'm very sorry." He says.

Scott looks away, not able to meet anyone's eyes.

Derek hangs his head, letting out a sad sigh.

Ash is just wide-eyed, because she really didn't think it'd come to this, she just thought maybe they'd need to do an ultrasound to _check_ on the baby, that maybe there would be some minor injury or something. She has no idea it was this bad.

"I have to get back to my rounds. I'll have a nurse come in to schedele an ultrasound, to get an accurate reading. I'm sorry." The doctor says again.

Ash gives him a thankful nod, unable to speak.

He slips out of the room, leaving the ragtag family to their privacy.

Suddenly, Jessie doesn't care about the pain moving causes her. Suddenly she just feels sick inside and out. She covers her face with her hands and starts to cry.

Derek's heart breaks for more than one reason in that moment. That could be, or could have been, his neice or nephew. And listening to her cry because they know, well the males couldn't understand, she has maybe lost a part of herself too.

Scott's eyes fill with tears as he thinks about how Jessie must feel, but also how Stiles is going to feel when he wakes up and someone has to tell him what happened, or what may have happened.

Derek stands up. He goes over to Jessie. He listened to her speak about her baby, he knows she's scared, but she was happy too, she wanted his. Now? Now, she might not be able to have it. He rests his hand on her shoulder in an attempt to comfort his sister but she shrugs it off her straight away. She doesn't want to be touched or anything.

"Get out." She tells them from behind her hands.

"Jess-" Derek tries.

"Please..just get out." She says, moving her hands to look at her older brother. She doesn't scream or yell, she's pleading for some space to process all this.

It's Ash that stands, gently grasping both Scott and Derek by the arm.

"Come on." She says, leading them to the door. Normally, if Jessie was upset, Ash would try to help. But this is different.

Once Jessie's alone, she exhales deeply, letting the river of salty tears runs down her face, not bothering to hold any back.

Outside the room, once Ash has gotten Derek and Scott out of the room, she lets them go.

Scott sniffs, turning away from them both and walking a little down the hall to compose himself.

Ash puts her hands on Derek's arms hesitantly, unsure how he's feeling because he isn't showing much.

"I'm sorry." Ash says, looking at him. This is the first time Ash has ever seen tears wash over the alpha's eyes. "Derek.." She sighs softly, touching his cheek.

He pulls away from her, looking mad, but with himself.

"I shouldn't have let them leave the house." Derek says before walking away from Ash, towards the exit, because he needs an open space.

Ash sighs, feeling tears stinging her own eyes as she watches him walk away. She knows better than to follow him, especially when he's not mad, he's upset.

"What's going on? Is Jessie okay?" Peter asks, him and Isaac walking over to Ash. They watched Derek walk away, Scott walk away, and the tears form in Ash's eyes.

"Not really." Ash tells him. She exhales shakily, a tear slipping down her cheek.

"Ash, what happened?" Isaac asks her. Ash sniffs and wipes the tear away. "Ash?"

"The crash might have made her miscarry." Ash says. She puts her hand over her mouth, a few more tears falling now because Stiles has always been her brother, Jessie was becoming to be a sister..to both of them, that baby, they're family. This hurts Ash and Scott as much as it hurts Derek.

"Jesus Christ." Peter sighs. He may be burnt up on the inside, but even he can admit how heart-breaking that is. He puts his hand on Ash's back, rubbing gently as she weeps silently into her hand, feeling her own heart break.

..

 _Later on_

"Miss Hale." Doctor Bailey says, knocking on her room door.

Jessie looks over at him, just feeling numb from the drugs they're given her. Her saddness turned to anger and she was throwing things, breaking things, she pulled at her body and was in a lot of pain. They want her to keep still, as to not further agitate her stomach. The only way to properly do that, was to drug her up, safely in case she's still pregnant though.

"Mr Stilinski is up, he would like to see you." He tells the girl.

It's quiet, Jessie doesn't know if she wants to see Stiles, how Stiles is going to feel about what's happened, or how Stiles is now going to feel about her.

But Stiles is with the doctor.

"It's okay." Stiles assures him, stepping past him and going into her room anyway.

The doctor wonders if he really should let him in there considering the girl never answered him.

But then Stiles pulls up a char beside her and takes her hand into his, rubbing her knuckles gently.

Doctor Bailey decides the couple need their time together. He closes her door and continues with his rounds.

"Tell me what I can do." Stiles says, holding Jessie's hand in his, because he's already been informed of the situation.

"Nothing." She says emotionlessly, the drugs for the pain long having numbed her.

"Please get mad at me, Jess." Stiles pleads. "Scream at me or something. I know this was all my fault, I'm the one that wanted to go out to all those other places, we should have just come home." He says.

"No, it's not. This had to happen." Jessis says.

Stiles' face screws up in confusion.

"Fate, you know?" She says, the drugs have numbed her pain but have also twisted up the hurt she feels on the inside, making it hard for her to think clearly.

"Jessie, what're you talking about?" Stiles asks her, brushing some hair out of her face.

"I'm not allowed a family because I let mine die-"

"No, Jessie, don't." Stiles cuts her off, quickly standing up. "Please don't do that." He says, he can't listen to her say these things and blame this, and what happened to her family, on herself.

"Just go, I can't see you. Or anyone. Just go, please, just go." Jessie says, tears around slipping down her face as she turns her head to the side so she doesn't have to look at him.

"Jess, don't block me out-" Stiles tries.

"Go!" She screams at him, giving into her tears and breaking down. "Go!"

Stiles looks at her in heart-broken horror.

"Go.." She cries.

Stiles can't take it, he can't watch this, he has to leave the room. He shuts her door behind him and leans againist it. He lets out a sigh, rubbing his hands down his face as his own eyes fill with tears.

"Stiles, is she-" Peter starts to ask as he walks over to the male.

"Not now." Stiles says, walking straight past him and towards the waiting room.

Peter frowns, seeing his red, watery eyes as he passes him.

Stiles sees his Dad, with the rest of the pack.

John sees his son's crying and goes to ask what happened, to help him, but Stiles just collides into him, hugging him tightly.

"I'm sorry, son." John says, hugging him back, holding his head.

Stiles lets himself cry properly, letting all of his hurt out into his father's shoulder, clinging to the back of his shirt tightly.

..

Not long after midnight, after Stiles has calmed down and Jessie's had some time to herself, Stiles slips into her dark room.

He peeks at her, finding she's asleep. He quietly closes her door behind him and tip-toes over to her. He brushes her hair behind her ear and then crawls up onto her bed, laying down beside her.

One of his hands comes to rest over her stomach and Stiles lets himself relax into an easier slumber, knowing Jessie's right here and she's safe.

..

 _The next morning_

Stiles wakes first. He gets off her bed and into a chair, not wanting her to wake up and be upset with him for getting on her bed when she _clearly_ asked to be alone. But he's not giving her alone, he's not letting her go through all of this by herself. So, he sits in the chair, and he waits.

It's another hour before Jessie stirs, her eyes fluttering open. She looks around the room until her eyes fall to Stiles. An incredible guilt fills her after remembering how she treated him the night before.

"Hey, how are you feeling?" Stiles asks her, leaning forward to brush her hair from her face and kiss her cheek. Like nothing happened.

"I lost it yesturday." She says, not answering his question. Because even if Stiles wanted to brush last night off for Jessie's sake, Jessie can't just see past it. This all hurts Stiles too, not just her.

Stiles sighs and sits back down in his seat. He was hoping they could just move past it, not talk about it. Stiles has never seen Jessie so torn up with hurt like that before, it was almost worse than when she thought Derek had died.

"Yeah." Stiles nods, because he can't deny it. She really did lose it.

"I'm sorry." Jessie apologies.

"It's okay, you were upset, I get it." Stiles nods. "Don't worry about it, baby. It's water under the bridge." He says, rubbing her arm with her hand.

Jessie nods, her eyes starting to water.

Stiles looks at her sadly.

"Please..please don't hate me." Jessie says, a sob cutting through her. "I'm so sorry." She says, talking about the baby now.

"I don't hate you, Jess. I never could. I love you, and this is _not_ your fault." He assures her. He threads his fingers through her's and brings her hand to his mouth, kissing her knuckles gently. "We don't know anything for sure yet. It's okay." He says. "The nurse said once you've healed some more and you were awake, they'd do an ultrasound, get us a real answer." He tells her.

"Stiles, I..I can't. If I lost this baby, I.." She hiccups.

"Jessie, stop, please?" Stiles says, tears filling his eyes. "Just rest up, okay? We'll know when the time's right-"

"What if I lost our baby, Stiles?" She asks her, her tears spilling down her cheeks now. "I-I _can't_ handle that. I can't. I already love her too much."

"I know." Stiles nods. "And you heard the Doctor, she's strong and she's healthy. You rest up, and we both hope for the best, it's all we can do." Stiles says, trying to keep his tears at bay as to not upset her further. "Please, Jessie, just..don't think about that right now, please." He says.

"Okay. I'll..I'll try." Jessie nods.

"We have an appointment with the nurse at 12:30. Get some more sleep, I'll wake you beforehand." Stiles says.

"Okay." Jessie nods.

"Okay." Stiles nods back, leaning over and kissing her head.

..

Ash needed to take Jade home, the young toddler couldn't sleep in those conditions, and she was hungry and fussing. Ash brought Derek with her, because the alpha refused to go back into the hospital. Ash knew deep down the reason was because he was scared, but she told the others it was because she didn't want to be alone.

Derek is so much quieter than usual and it worries Ash. She's even more worried because how they've been sitting for the last hour, it's never happened before.

Ash sits on the floor, her back againist her bed. Derek sits beside her, laying his head in her lap. Ash rakes her hand through his hair gently, providing him with comfort she can't really put into words. It's never like this. Derek's always the one holding her, comforting her, it's never been the other way around like this before.

Jade plays with her toys in front of them, unaware of how things are going downhill for the pack again. Not supernaturally, but emotionally, in the family. The pack isn't just about fighting monsters..they're a family. What hurts one of them, hurts all of them.

"Your sister's strong." Ash says, looking down at Derek.

He looks away from Jade, his eyes meeting Ash's.

"I know." He says.

"De'ick." Jade says, looking over at the man. "Ash." She says, wanting attention.

Both adults look away from each other to look at her.

She gets to her feet and walks over to them.

"Come here, Pumpkin." Derek says, holding his hands out to her.

Jade happily accepts, letting him lift her up and then settle her on his stomach.

Derek does feel a little of that dark weight in his gut disappear as he taps Jade on the nose, making her face light up each time, and tickle her sides, drawing laughter from her small body.

Ash smiles softly at the two of them. She leans down and kisses Derek's forehead with more meaning than usual. As a thanks, for how happy he can make Jade. As a reminder, that she's happy she has him. And to show him that she's here for him and his family. She looks over at her alarm clock on the dresser.

 _11:04am_

Derek follows her eyes, looking at it as well.

"Jessie goes for her ultrasound in about an hour or so." Derek says.

"Yeah, she does." Ash nods. She looks down at her fiancee, brushing his hair back so she can look him in the eye properly. "We need to be there, even it's outside. We have to be there, Derek." She says.

"Yeah." He nods. "I just.."

"I know." Ash nods, because he doesn't need to say it, she already knows.

"I'll drive." Derek says.

Ash nods, leaning down and kissing him gently before just leaning her forehead against his.

"Whatever happens, I'm here." She tells him quietly.

"I know." He nods. "I'm here too."

"I know." She nods this time.

Derek leans up a little and kisses her once more.

"Yucky." Jade breaks their heartfelt moment.

Ash chuckles and both adults look at her.

She sits on Derek's stomach, covering her mouth with her hand and her little face is screwed up.

Derek cracks, a small smile coming to his lips too.

And he finally understands, in this moment, why Jade always makes him feel just that little bit better.

Because even if Jade isn't his daughter, she's a little princess.

 _His_ and _Ash's_ little princess, blood or not.

..

..

 **Some saddness, some fluff! And yes, I'm aware an ultrasound can have right away to determine the state of the pregnancy but even my own Mom was told to rest before they did it, to calm her nerves and not further hurt or stress herself and the baby...like Jessie did. But you will get the tests and everything next chapter! Favourite, follow and review!**


	62. Coming To A Close

**Very sorry about how extremely late this chapter is! Things have gone _crazy_ for me in past two weeks! I will updating less frequently but be assured that I will follow this fic to it's end :) And sorry that this chapter is much shorter than usual too, I just wanted to get through this part before I time skipped again.**

 **Shout out to:**

 ***Serena Sterling: You're welcome and thanks!**

 ***jayesh dms: I know, sorry.**

 ***momentum123: Keep reading, you'll find those words :3**

 ***momentum123:** **Yay, glad to hear you loved it :)**

 ***lynnenikko666: Thank you!**

 ***NicoleAwesome: I'm glad you like it :) That was so incredibly sweet, thanks so much! Hehe, yes, that does happen, but here's another chapter (finally :P)!**

 **I'm sure I've already told you this, but this fic won't be continuing for much longer :( Things are going to start coming to a close. But! I have ideas for one-shots, I actually have an idea for a new fic, but a short one, maybe 20 chapters at most, if you want to know more about that then let me know in a comment and I will post a quick summary with next chapter!**

 **Anyway, enjoy this chapter!**

 **..**

When lunchtime comes around, the whole pack sit in the hospital's waiting chairs.

Ash rubs Derek's and with her thumb as she holds it, Jade holding her other hand.

They all look up when the door opens.

Stiles has his arm around Jessie's waist, helping the girl to walk.

When she sees them all, when she sees they're all here for her and for Stiles and their baby..a warm feeling spreads across her chest.

"Thank you..for being here." She says, looking at them all.

Derek stands up, Ash letting his hand go. He walks over to his sister and Stiles lets her go too.

"Of course we'd be here." He says to her before carefully pulling her into his arms.

Jessie hugs him back, gripping his henley in her fists.

"Whatever happens in there..you're gonna be okay." Derek tells her, quiet enough for only her to hear.

"I don't know if that's true." Jessie says back, just as quiet, because she really is unsure.

"You will be." Derek says. "I'll make sure." He says before pulling back.

Jessie looks at him and nods, because she knows there is no limit to what Derek would do for her. Sometimes she wishes there was one, so he wouldn't throw himself in the line of fire, but she also appreciates it more than he could understand.

"I'll be here, no matter what." Derek tells her, and he doesn't care who hears him say it or who sees his walls crumble, because Jessie needs to know, in this moment, that she won't be going through any of this alone. No matter what news these two receive, good or bad, Jessie will never be without family and pack, _never_.

"I love you, Derek. You're a good brother." Jessie says, frightened tears in her eyes as the minutes tick closer to the time of her appointment.

"I love you, Jess." Derek says back. He looks at Stiles, putting his hand on the male's shoulder. "You'll look after her?"

"Of course, always." Stiles nods, his own eyes starting to water, because this is a very intense emotional moment.

They look at the door again when another person enters.

"Miss Hale and Mr Stilinski?" The woman requests.

Stiles and Jessie turn around and look at her.

"Dr Namid will see you now." She tells the couple.

Jessie looks at Stiles, her heart starting to race.

"It's okay, baby." Stiles soothes her. "C'mon." He says, holding his hand out to her.

Jessie puts her hand into his and Stiles squeezes it gently. Jessie glances back at the pack again.

Peter nods to her, for her to go ahead.

Jessie nods back and her eyes fall to Ash.

Ash kisses her hand, gesturing it to Jessie.

Jessie smiles a little and looks at Stiles again.

"Let's go check on our baby." Stiles says.

Jessie nods and follows Stiles out, grasping his hand tightly in hers.

The door shuts again behind them and every person, wolf or human, becomes tense. Even little Jade knows something's going on.

..

Jessie pulls her shirt up, and she's already starting to panic. There's tears in her eyes and she's not breathing like she should be, she's breathing in and out too fast.

The doctor glances at her with a understanding frown, because he's been in this position with happily expecting couples more than once. And he's had to give terrible news more than once as well. His job isn't as pleasant as television makes it out to be. It's not all saving lives, sometimes they lose lives and sometimes they have to be the ones to deliver that horrible news to the families of those lost lives.

"Jess, you need to calm down, okay?" Stiles says, holding her hand and rubbing it with his thumbs.

She nods but she still clutches his hand tightly, with white knuckles because she's terrified. Don't get me wrong, Stiles is just as scared, he's just trying to be supportive and he knows he can't be all that supportive with scared tears running down his face so he's bottling that all in right now, for Jessie's sake.

The doctor spreads the gel over Jessie's stomach.

It's quite cold, cold enough for Jessie to cringe or say something, but she's so frightened that she doesn't make a sound or move a muscle.

Stiles looks at her, worried about her. He's scared as well, but he's worried about Jessie, and he's especially worried of what will come of her if they get the bad news. Stiles knows it will crush him, but he'll try his damn hardest to pull himself together to look after and comfort Jessie if it came to that. But he's scared of how she would be, or how she would process that grief.

He just hopes for the best. He _prays_ for the best.

"Okay. Here we go." Doctor Namid says, beginning the ultrasound.

Seconds drag on like hours, _years_. Each one raises both hopefully expecting parents' worry and dread, their anxiety, _because why can't they see anything or hear a thumping train-like heartbeat yet_.

"Hold on.." Doctor Namid says, his face morphing into an expression that neither comforts or helps Jessie or Stiles.

"What is it?" Jessie asks. "Is it my baby girl? Please, what is it?" She asks because the Doctor doesn't answer in the first second following her first question.

Stiles squeezes Jessie's hand tighter, feeling like there's a panic attack creeping around the corner.

Doctor Namid lets out a soft sigh before turning to face them, his eyes glancing between the two teenagers.

..

Jessie and Stiles walk out of the room, hand in hand.

Jessie still has a little bit of a shake, from the fear she felt before. And she still has tears down her cheeks from before as well.

"Jess? Stiles?" Derek says, getting to his feet.

The pack all stand up out of their chairs too, their eyes darting between the couple.

"What happened?" Ash asks, squeezing Derek's hand tightly because she's terrified for the results.

Jessie looks up at her and a sob passes her lips. Jessie puts her hand over her mouth and Stiles' hand comes to her back.

Ash feels her stomach drop, but then she sees Jessie's smiling despite the fact that she's crying.

"I..I'm sorry." Jessie says, wiping her tears away. It's all _very_ overwhelming. "I, uh..I'm still pregnant." She tells them before bursting into happy tears again, a big smile coming to her face.

"Oh, thank God." Scott sighs in relief, coming forward and hugging Stiles.

Stiles hugs his best friend, his _brother_ , back whole-heartedly, resting his face in Scott's hoodie because he has those same happy tears in his eyes too.

"Oh, God, I was so scared, man." Stiles says, his voice cracking a little.

"I know, me too. But it's okay. It's okay, brother." Scott tells him, sniffing as well, patting Stiles' back.

Ash smiles, stepping forward and taking Jessie's face into her hands. She wipes the girl's tears away with her thumbs.

"I am so happy for you." Ash tells her, her eyes shining a little too.

Jessie just nods, because she's having trouble forming words. She really thought she'd lost her baby, her baby _girl_ , but she hasn't. And Jessie has never felt so happy and so relieved in her entire life.

"Come here." Ass says, pulling the girl forward.

Jessie jumps at the opportunity to latch onto Ash and cry into her shirt.

"I know, I know." Ash says, rubbing her back gently, because she can understand how terrifying and overwhelming this has all been for Jessie. To feel as though the ground has been pulled out from under her but replaced with another at the _very_ last _second_.

"That's-that's not the only good news." Jessie says, wiping her eyes and pulling back.

Derek goes to her next, placing a hand on Jessie's back but allowing her to speak to everyone because they all heard what she said and now they're all looking at her again.

"What do you mean?" Isaac asks.

"Before..everything..we found out the sex of the baby." Stiles says. He looks at Jessie and she nods with a smile, giving him permission. "We're having a girl." He says, a smile coming to his face too.

"A _girl_?" Derek asks, and his reaction is _exactly_ how Stiles imagined it to be.

"Yeah, Der. A girl." Jessie nods. "My little princess." She says, her eyes tearing up for the thousandth time but she's too happy with the ultrasound results and with her family to care that it's being expressed through the salt rivers flowing down her cheeks. "My healthy little princess." She weeps.

Derek feels this fluttering flood in his chest but it's not painful or anything bad, it's warm, it's.. _nice_. Because those words, _little princess_ , that's like little baby Jade, Ash's little Jade, _Derek's_ little Jade. And now Jessie and Stiles are going to have a little princess of their own, and there's something so incredibly warming about that for Derek.

"I'm so proud of you, of both of you." Comes out of his as he drags his sister into a hug.

Stiles smiles, because despite Derek's awkwardness in the beginning, he's becoming a very supportive part of Jessie's pregnancy.

Derek looks at Stiles and he's compelled to do something.

Derek grabs the other male's sleeve, making Stiles' eyes snap up to him. Derek pulls him forward, until Stiles is part of his and Jessie's hug.

Ash watches with a soft smile, because she's very proud of the expecting parents, and of Derek too.

Scott smiles too, placing his hand on Ash's shoulder.

Ash looks at him.

"I'm really glad he's the one you're marrying, Ash, really." Scott says to her sincerely, because he's never meet anyone like Derek, and he's never seen anyone make Ash feel the way she does when she's with him.

Ash smiles wider and reaches up to squeeze her brother's hand.

"Me too." She says, pressing a kiss to his knuckles gently.

..

..

 **I hope that was all very sweet and fluffy :3 I'll try to update as soon as I can! Favourite, follow and review!**


	63. 6 Months

**Shout out to:**

 ***Serena Sterling: I am, just very busy as the year begins to really start up! Yay! You're welcome and thanks :)**

 ***Tesla424: Sorry :P Thank you, I try to keep things as accurate as I can manage :) Yes, I will post something at the end of this chapter about the ideas I have for the new fic :)**

 ***Jaycob11: No, I understand that. Ever since I decided to go down a darker path with the Stessie baby, I've been playing around with a one shot where Ash loses hers and Derek's baby but is too scared to tell him, but I was unsure about posting it. Would you read that? Because I can finish it and put it up for you :) Beware though, it is dark, but I'm thinking of ending it on a happy note.**

 **New fic ideas at the end of this chapter if you want to check that out! Beware, my ideas are scrambled :P**

 **..**

 _2 months later_

At 6 months pregnant, the usually small girl has grown quite the baby bump.

At now almost 2 and a half years old, Jade helps carry the groceries bags into the Hale loft. Okay, she uses both hands to almost benchpress one of that bags that contains frozen peas, butter and a 1 litre tub on chocolate ice-cream for Jessie and her cravings.

"Good girl, Jade, put it up over there." Ash instructs and Jade walks into the kitchen, lifting the bag up over her head and pushing it precariously onto the counter until it's steadily up there.

Ash holds the door open for a very pregnant Jessie and slides it shut behind her too.

"I did it, Aunt Jess." Jade says, beaming up at Jessie.

"Yes, you did, Pumpkin." Jessie smiles down at her, as she heads for the kitchen too with two bags in her own hands.

"Whoa, hey. I got them." Derek says, coming out from the bedroom when he realises the girls are back. He takes the bags from Jessie's hand and takes them into the kitchen himself.

Jessie rolls her eyes but with a grateful smile, because Derek's still so protective of her. But Stiles has become even worse than Derek, if that's even possible.

Ash takes hers in as well before going over to Jade and lifting her up, bringing her down so she can raspberry the toddler's neck and make her giggle and squirm.

Derek comes out, going over to them.

"Hi." He says before kissing Ash, his _fiancee_ , in greeting.

Ash smiles, because she had no idea she could feel the way she feels when she's with Derek and her family.

"I go to Derek." Jade says, she's _finally_ learnt, very recently, how to say Derek's name properly.

"Here." Ash says, handing her over to Derek.

The man takes the toddler into his arms with a soft look in his eye.

"Hi, Princess." He says to her and she beams even wider at him, because she's come to love being called Princess, and Pumpkin.

"Hi, Hedgehog." And Jade has also taken to giving the man his own nickname, and sticking with it. She touches his stubble and a giggle erupts from her.

Jessie watches her brother with Jade, and she just knows Derek's going to help Ash to raise Jade, like Jade was his own.

A few weeks ago, Derek shaved his stubble completely off, because Hailey and Jeff invited them all over for dinner at their place in Nevada, and the beard looked a little rugged and he wanted to clean himself up a little.

Jessie can still remember laughing at how Jade's face screwed up when she first saw the man's bare face. Derek sat down on the sofa, a book in his lap. But Jade climbed onto the sofa and into his lap, sitting right on his book, just staring at his face, demanding his attention with that cute little frown of hers.

"Where's it gone?" Jessie remembers Jade asking him. "It's gone." She'd said, touching his cheeks, poking at them.

"Jade, that's rude. Get off of him." Ash had said, walking over to the girl.

"It's okay." Derek had told the older McCall. He'd done his best to explain that he'd shaven but the 'prickles', as Jade calls them, would be back very soon. The concept of shaving had mostly confused Jade, but Jessie thought the whole thing was adorable. It was like a _father_ explaining something to his _daughter_.

Jessie pulls herself out of her thoughts and walks over to Derek now, rubbing her hand over her stomach.

Jade looks at Jessie's large stomach with inquisitive eyes.

"Derek?" Jade says, looking back at him.

"Yeah?" He says.

"Where do babies come from?" She asks him curiously.

' _Yeah, Derek is definitely her new Daddy_ ' Jessie thinks to herself.

"Uh.." Derek struggles to think of something to say.

"They come from the Mommy's tummy, Jade." Ash tells her, brushing her dark curls out of her face.

"Like Jessie?" Jade says, looking at the girl's large stomach again, then back to Ash.

"Yeah." Ash nods. "And Uncle Stiles is the Daddy." She tells the young girl.

"When does a baby come from your tummy?" Jade asks her sister.

Ash's eyes widen, and she has no idea what to say.

"Will Derek be it's Daddy?" Jade asks.

Now Derek's eyes widen.

Jessie clears her throat, trying not to grin to widely.

"Jade, why don't we go put the groceries away, huh?" Jessie suggests.

"Yeah." Jade nods, squirming to get down.

Derek lets her down to her feet and the toddler races into the kitchen.

"Well.." Jessie says, looking between the two adults. "Um.. I don't know what to say." She admits before following after the bouncing black curls.

Derek rubs his hand down his face and Ash scratches at her neck awkwardly.

But, Stiles, once again, saves the day.

"Hey, how's it?" He asks, coming into the loft and shutting the door behind him.

"Good."

"Fine."

Both adults give short answers, making Stiles raise his eyebrows. But he brushes it off, going to find his very pregnant girlfriend.

"I, uh.. I should get back, Scott will be wondering where I am." Ash says, looking at Derek now.

"Yeah." He nods. He steps forward and brushes Ash's hair behind her ear before kissing her.

Stiles and Jessie spy from the kitchen, the former putting his fingers in his mouth and wolf whistling loudly when the kiss becomes a little more than innocent.

Ash chuckles, her cheeks heating up red in embarrassment as she pulls back. With all the craziness of Jessie and the baby, and with Jade growing up quickly, they haven't had much time to be _together_. So each kiss is stretching that wall of intimacy they've yet to pass again in the last couple weeks. Which, for them, is probably a record.

"See you later?" Derek asks her.

"Yeah." Ash nods. "Tonight?" She asks, raising her eyebrows.

Derek purses his lips and nods.

A sly smile comes to Ash lips and she nods too. She pulls away with a gentle squeeze of his hip before walking over to the kitchen.

'C'mon, Pumpkin." She says, holding her hand out to Jade.

"Hey, uh..actually.." Stiles says, walking up to Ash.

Ash waits for him to go on.

"How about Jess and I take her out with us today?" Stiles suggests.

Ash's eyes narrow as she looks between the two expecting parents, because she's more than protective of Jade.

"C'mon, Ash. She'll be fine with us. We'll bring her back in time for dinner and everything." Jessie says.

"Hmm." Ash hums, unsure.

"I go with Aunt Jess and Uncle Sti." Jade says, looking up at her big sister.

"Okay, fine." Ash caves. "But not a single scrap, I mean it." Ash warns, pointing between the two teenagers.

"Okay, deal." Stiles nods with a smile.

"Okay. Be good, Jade." Ash says, scruffing her hair.

"I will." Jade smiles.

Ash kisses her head and heads for the front door.

"8pm, dress nice." Derek says as she passes him.

Ash slows, raising her eyebrows at him.

"What? Why?" She asks.

"Just wear something nice." He says.

"Nice as in nice, or nice as in _nice-_ " Ash starts.

"A dress, Ash, I mean a dress." Derek stops her, because _that_ sort of thing is for later into the night.

Ash chuckles and nods.

"I'll wear something nice, but I'm not wearing a dress." Ash says over her shoulder as she heads for the door again.

"Hmm. Yeah, we'll see." Derek says, and he doesn't miss the grin Ash tries to hide either.

..

 _The next morning_

The dinner, at the fancy and _very_ expensive restaurant that Derek took Ash too, was absolutely amazing.

And yes, Ash wore a dress, a long black dress that looked more than amazing on her.

And the sex they finally got to have when they got home though..that was even better.

Ash awakens from a very _satisfying_ sleep when she hears the cluttering of pans and plates from downstairs in the kitchen.

She groans sleepily as she rolls over, making a mental note to scowl Scott later on for coming home and making so much racket.

She reaches for Derek, planning to snuggle under his arm to block out the noise, but her bed's empty.

He's not in here. In fact, his side of the bed is barely still warm.

Ash sits up now, a sleepy frown on her face.

She gets up and goes down the hall to Scott's room, going over to Jade's crib, which she has almost completely grown out of.

It's empty too.

Ash jogs down the stairs, becoming increasingly worried, only to slow to a stop at the bottom of the stairs.

"I want lots of eggs." Jade says with an excited smile.

Derek turns to the girl he's holding in one arm while he cooks eggs with a spatula in a frying pan with his other pan.

"Can you eat lots of eggs?" Derek questions her.

Jade smiles and covers her mouth before shaking her head with a giggle.

"How about one? Can you eat one?" He asks her.

"Yeah." Jade nods.

"Then I'll make you one." He says. "All right?" He asks, a smile pulling at his lips now too.

"Yeah." She nods again. "Thank you." Jade remembers her manners, something both Melissa and Ash drilled into her head from a young age.

Ash feels a warmth spread across her chest as Derek's kisses the girl's head and Jade lays against his chest, her eyes watching him cook with fascination.

"Will Ash have a baby in her tummy?" Jade asks him, looking up at him but staying leant against him. "I want a little brother." She says.

"Well, that wouldn't be your brother, that'd be your nephew because it's your sister's son." Derek tells her. "But, uh..I don't think Ash wants to have a baby." Derek tells her, somehow feeling like he can open up to her when it's just them, except it isn't just them, but Derek hasn't realised that yet.

Ash just watches and listens, because she swears Derek sounded disappointed when he said that second part.

"He's good with her, right?" Scott asks, having walked in the door and seen all of them.

Ash jumps, getting a fright because she was so focused on Derek and Jade that she didn't realise her brother was standing right beside her.

"Jesus, you scared me." She says.

"I know." Scott smirks at her before looking back at Derek and Jade again. "Jade seems excited to have a new addition to the family." He points out.

"Yeah, she's been quite interested in Jessie and Stiles' girl." Ash says.

"That's not what I meant, Ash." Scott says.

Ash looks at him and he raises his eyebrows.

"I mean _you_ and _Derek_." Scott says.

Ash sighs, running her hand through her hair.

"You know what I just heard?" Scott asks, pulling Ash a little more away just to make sure they don't disturb Derek or Jade, but both seem caught up in their own conversation and activities to notice the two McCalls. "Disappoint, when he said you didn't want a baby."

"I never said I didn't want a baby." Ash points out.

"You've never said you do." Scott counters. "Listen, maybe you and Derek need to talk about this." Scott suggests. "I mean, you're engaged, he stays her almost every night, and he's in the kitchen right now looking after Jade as if she were his daughter, maybe thinking about having kids together isn't so crazy-"

"Lower your voice." Ash interrupts, scared Derek will hear them. glancing over at the older man to make sure he hasn't heard. And she doesn't even know why she's scared of him hearing.

"Just.. Think about it." Scott says. He doesn't let her reply, he walks into the kitchen, loud enough for to get Derek's attention.

Derek nods and greets him with a 'good morning' before he passes Jade over for Scott to say hello. He spots Ash and gives her a small smile, because to him he thinks she's just come down here too.

Ash returns his smile, despite Scott's words and Derek's words all swimming around in her head. She throws away her worries for now and walks over to Derek.

He wraps his arm around her shoulders and she hugs around his waist, leaning her head against his collarbone.

"Hungry?" Derek asks, looking down at her.

Ash looks up at him before going on her tiptoes and kissing him.

"Yeah." She nods.

..

 _A few days later_

The engaged couple, home alone at the Hale loft, are wrapped around each other's lips and bodies.

Derek's doing everything right, he's touching everything right, he's doing exactly what Ash wants, what she _craves_.

But there's something wrong.

"Wait." Ash says with a sigh, resting her hands on his shoulders.

The man pulls back from the dark purple mark he was starting to form over her pulse, meeting Ash's eyes.

Ash shakes her head, moving Derek off of her and getting off of the bed.

Derek frowns in confusion, because he could tell by the sounds she was making that he was doing _something_ right.

Ash pulls her singlet on so her chest is no longer exposed, and she sits back down on the bed, not bothering with pants.

"We need to talk about something." Ash says.

Derek sits up properly now as well, shirtless, but still wearing his jeans, his belt's just unbuckled.

"Did I do something wrong?" He asks.

"No, of course not." Ash shakes her head.

"Then what's wrong-"

"Do you want a baby, Derek?" She asks him out-right.

"I.." He can't even form an answer. He doesn't even know how that came up.

"It's a simple question. Do you want you and I to have a baby?" She asks, because it's all been screaming in her head the last 3 days and she can't ignore it anymore.

"It's not a simple question." He corrects her, for starters. "And it isn't a simple answer either."

"No, it is." She says gently, taking his hand. "You can be honest with me, that's what _this_ means." She says, holding her hand up so he can see her ring. "If you want me to have your baby..then you should tell me, so we can talk about it."

Derek looks down, the desire they both felt from moments ago has disappeared and they're both being serious now.

"Hey." Ash says, ducking her head so she can meet his eyes. "I'm not gonna get mad or anything, if that's what you think." She says, trying to coax an answer out of him.

"These past few weeks, I.." He looks back up at her now, his eyebrows furrowed a little. "I've felt like.. I've felt like a Dad to Jade, and that feels good." He says.

"That's good." Ash says. "She loves you, Derek."

"Me too." He nods. "But, I've been thinking about it, about Jessie and Stiles, about how we're going to have another baby girl in only a few short months and.." He doesn't go on.

"Derek?" Ash says. "Der.." She says, touching his cheek.

"There's something in me, in my wolf, that can literally feel the pack getting bigger and it feels strange, but it's good too. I can't even describe it. It just.. It feels like family." He says. He looks her in the eye now. "I think I want to help you to make this pack even bigger." He tells her and Ash feels butterflies swarming in her stomach. "But not right now.. Not just yet. But.. But I do want that." He tells her. He struggles, because since the fire he's never wanted his own family, he wanted his family back, but now..with Ash, his fiancee..things are different.

Ash nods, her mind going into overdrive, because even if the alpha danced around it a lot, he did in fact just tell her that he would like to father her child, when the time's right.

"Okay." Ash nods again.

"Okay." He nods. "Heh. What now? I mean..you just pretend I didn't say any of that?" He asks, the same nervousness creeping up on him that did when he proposed to her.

"I don't need to pretend." Ash shakes her head. "Just.. When you've had time to think it through properly then..we'll talk about it." She says. "Okay?"

"Okay." He agrees. He exhales, a big part of him glad he's gotten that off his chest.

"You think we can just lay here tonight?" She asks him, because her mind is far too busy to go back to _that_ again.

"Yeah." Derek nods, because it's in the same predicament. He lays back on the bed, looking at her.

She lays down beside him, snuggling up against his side.

Even when Jessie comes home, they're still laying there, still in a comfortable silence, still just thinking.

And for once, neither of them mind the silence that drags on.

..

..

 **I hope that wasn't too OOC, I just think Derek's views on having kids would change as Jessie got closer to giving birth and as he got closer to Jade. But, what do you all think about their conversation? Favourite, follow and review!**

 **Okay! New fic idea time!**

 **Complete spin-off from the show for starters, in fact I'm unsure if I will even bring in a monster, maybe their dramas will be enough, maybe not. Also, this fic's plots will be loosely based on the show Sons of Anarchy, because my friend showed me the show on her iPad while we were catching the train to work and I couldn't stop watching. If you haven't seen it I highly recommend it, it's not just violence and bikers and sex, it's about family and brotherhood and how far people will go to protect those things. If you can read between the lines, it's quite a beautiful piece of art, I think. But, don't get me wrong, they're some dark moments, some of which I want to put into my own fic.**

 **Okay, Peter isn't around (right now, I'm still deciding on his appearance or not) and Laura is also alive, and she's the alpha instead of Derek. The Hales and McCalls have known each other for a long time, they grew up together just like the McCalls and Stilinskis did, so everyone that's important is in the 'loop' about werewolves. Scott is a born werewolf, the McCall's father was a werewolf but he was killed months after Danny was born. Danny is another OC I'm bringing in as the McCall's youngest sister. Melissa, the McCall's mother, has passed in the last 6 months as well, or she's a lot like Gemma Teller from the Sons Of Anarchy and is mighty protective of her children. The Hales, Jessie, Derek and Laura, live in the rebuilt Hale manor, with Isaac too since Laura bit him. Also, Derek wasn't dating Kate, because he was dating Ashlyn when he was a teenager, but Kate still set the fire that killed most of the Hales. Established Stessie,** ** _very_** **recent though.**

 ** **I'm still deciding if I want Ashlyn (Ash) to have a baby or not, more of a toddler. I'm unsure.****

 ** ** **Well, there's that for now, but here's a little summary I wrote for it as well. Remember, a lot of things are undecided, so don't judge the fic from this passage..******

 ***** _Speeding away from her home of the last 4 years in Nevada isn't how Ashlyn McCall pictured her or her younger sister's lives. Running away from this place, and going to her old hometown is going to stir-up more than her boyfriend, who she just attempted to dump for a number of reasons. But along with Beacon Hills comes her ex boyfriend, her family both living and deceased, and a lot of old friends. But how prepared will she, and they, be for her return? The honest answer; not at all._ *****

 **If you wish too, let me know what you think!**


	64. Too Soon

**Shout out to:**

 ***Serena Sterling: Cluffy, that's clever! I'm glad you liked it! I'm happy you liked the idea too! You're welcome!**

 ***Jaycob11: Awesome! I'm putting some finishing touches on that one-shot but I'll let you know when it's ready!**

 ***jayesh dms: That's a good way to put it, as character development :) I have to say, I** ** _love_** **the idea of Jessie and Stiles both being anti-relationships and 'hating' each other, but deep down being attracted to each other but not knowing! I am going to use that, if you don't mind, thank you!**

 **Hi, guys! Yes, I'm working away at the new fic, I'm aiming for 15-20 chapters tops, but I will see what happens :) I have a one-shot I plan to upload soon, hopefully, I will let you know when that is up as well!**

 **Enjoy this chapter! Because things are about to get crazy again :P And there's a glance of an old face too, just because I felt like they needed to make a little return for a moment!**

 **..**

 _1 month later_

A 7-month pregnant Jessie lays on her bed in her new loft with her boyfriend.

Stiles lays on his back with his arms crossed behind his head, looking up at the ceiling.

"We should do something for Derek." Stiles says, still looking up at the ceiling. "I mean, he forked up a whole loft for us, we should do something for him."

"We should." Jessie nods is agreement, because the surprise of her brother gifting her and Stiles a whole loft down the hall from both the Hale and McCall lofts was a _huge_ surprise. Also, a _huge_ weight off of Jessie and Stiles' shoulders.

They knew they needed to get a plan of their own together, they couldn't live separate, but they couldn't squeeze into either the Stilinski house or the Hale loft either. But Derek's had the idea for a good couple months, and he put that plan into action 2 weeks ago.

The pack, and all the families, came and helped out. They brought things, baby furniture, they helped move Jessie's stuff from Derek's place and Stiles' stuff from his Dad's place. They helped paint the walls of the nursery, decorate it and make it as inviting to a baby as they possibly could. They helped give the two expecting parents a _home_. And they couldn't be more grateful.

"She's gonna be here soon." Jessie says, looking down at her stomach and rubbing her very large bump.

"I know." Stiles nods, turning his head to look at her now.

Jessie looks up at him and reaches over, brushing her fingers across the 3 week old tattoo over Stiles' left breast.

 _Blake_

That's what it reads.

Their coming baby girl, _Blake_.

"My Blake is gonna be here soon." Stiles says, putting his hand over Jessie's and caressing it with his thumb.

Jessie smiles, squeezing his hand gently.

..

"What's this stuff for?" Derek asks, picking up one of the tubs Ash just put in the trolley.

"It's for teething." Ash informs without looking at him, because she's looking between two different brands of baby powder, trying to determine which is more natural and safe to be used on the new baby.

"Teething? The baby isn't even born yet." Derek says.

"Just put it back, asshole." She says half-heartedly.

"You know a lot about this stuff, huh?" He says, putting the teething gel back into the trolley and looking at his finacee.

"I don't know. I watched my Mom go through 2 pregnancies. I helped raise Jade.. I guess I just picked up a few things." Ash shrugs, but she's still not looking at him because now she's looking at onesies.

There is light in her eye that Derek doesn't miss, and he knows it's not just about Jessie and Stiles having a baby, she's just a natural born _mother bear_.

"Hey.. What we talked about a month ago, that night.." Derek brings up, because they haven't talked about it anymore since that night, but they can't escape the subject either when there's a baby coming so soon.

Ash stops now, and turns around to face him.

"I know.. You're not ready to have kids of your own, I know that." She says with a nod.

"Well.." Derek doesn't know what he's trying to say. Just being here, shopping for all these things for Jessie and Stiles..he can't help but wonder how it would feel if this was all for his own baby.

"It's okay." Ash says, because she would never force him to father her children. Yeah, maybe one day she'd like to have her own baby, and she'd love nothing more than to have that baby with Derek, but she can't push him into it, he has to want it for himself. Ash can see he's doubtful, so she's not pushing anything until he's 110% sure he wants it.

"Pink or purple?" Ash asks, looking at two particular onesies, fluffy ones designed for newborns.

"Purple, like Jade's one." Derek says.

Ash looks at him again with a small smirk, because he's definitely stepped up as Jade's authoritative male figure the past few months, and Ash couldn't be happier, neither could Jade. She turns back around and puts the purple one in the trolley.

Derek walks up to her and wraps his arms around her waist, resting his chin on her shoulder.

"One day, I promise." He tells her as he rubs a hand over her flat stomach, because he doesn't want to completely turn down the idea of having kids with her, but he isn't completely sure he's ready either.

"Yeah." Ash says, squeezing his arm. "Okay, cmon, I think we're done." She says.

Derek nods and lets her go, walking to the check-out with her.

..

Later that day, when Ash and Derek are getting ready to drive home after having stopped by the pizzeria for Derek's favourite fast food and something creamy for Ash to drink, is when something more than surprising happens.

Ash juggles her half-drunken milkshake and handbag as she digs for her car keys.

"Ash." Derek says, stopping beside her car, looking straight ahead.

"Yeah, hold on." Ash says, looking through her bag. "Where the hell are they?" She asks herself.

"Ash." Derek says again, still just looking at the woman standing only metres away from them.

"Derek, hold on for a minute." Ash says, still looking through her handbag.

"Ashlyn."

With the use of her full name, Ash looks up.

Her search for her keys is completely forgotten.

"I, uh.." The blonde, now with much shorter hair than she used to have, slowly walks towards the pair. She rings her hands nervously, because she knew this was a risk.

Ash can't say anything, she can only watch.

Derek steps closer to his fiancee, his eyes scanning the carpark for anyone that could with her. Okay, he's looking for _Rafael_ , even though they all know he'll be in prison for at least another few years.

"I.. I heard you got engaged." Danielle says, looking at Ash, a little too intimated to look at Derek when he looks ready to bite her head off. "And I heard that Stiles was going to be a Dad as well." She says, stopping when there's only a metre between her and the engaged couple.

"What are you doing here?" Ash finally speaks.

"Visiting your father." Danielle says and the statement almost makes Ash cringe. "So, is it true? About you two? About Stiles?" She asks.

She sounds generally curious with excitement, and that's the only reason Ash answers.

"Yeah." She nods. "Me and Derek are engaged. And Stiles' baby girl will be here in a couple months." Ash tells her.

"Oh, wow.. I mean.. Wow. Congratulations." She says.

"Thanks." Ash says, keeping a close eye on the woman.

"You're a lucky man." Danielle says, looking at Derek finally.

"I know." He says, and he's even more skeptical than Ash is. His hand comes around Ash's waist, wanting to keep her close.

"Can I ask who the lucky girl is that's having Stiles' baby?" Danielle asks.

"My little sister." Derek answers for Ash. "Her name's Jessie."

"That's pretty. I bet she's a good girl, a good fit for Stiles." Danielle says with a genuine soft look.

"She is." Ash says.

"You're father's been asking about you." Danielle says, sounding hopeful, sounding like that of all things will be what Ash wants to hear.

"Right." Ash replies stiffly, her body becoming tense enough for Derek to feel it, and for it to make his body tense too.

Realising that that wasn't the right thing to say, Danielle doesn't say anything else about the man that caused more hurt and pain in Ash's life than anyone else ever has.

"Okay.. Well.. It was nice to see you both." Danielle says. "I should get back home before the traffic starts." She says.

"Yeah." Ash says.

"Derek." Danielle says, giving him a small nod.

Derek nods a little too, but doesn't say anything.

"Ash." She says, and she looks like she might reach out and touch her, but Derek pulls Ash closer to him and Danielle's hand falls back to her side again. "Okay.. Maybe we'll bump into each other again some day."

"Maybe." Ash gives a short reply.

Danielle nods and slowly walks away, until she's out of sight.

"You okay?" Derek asks, looking at Ash, because that would have only brought back bad memories for her.

Ash nods, but it's a giveaway when she slyly brushes her fingers over the pink scar over her eyebrow, the one her father put there.

"Why don't you let me drive?" Derek suggests, taking her hand into his and moving it away from her scar.

"Yeah." Ash nods, because that's probably a good idea. She finally finds her keys and hands them over to him.

The drive home is quiet, Ash isn't really sure what to say or what to make of any of that.

Derek glances at her as he drives, hoping this doesn't set something off in the girl or throw her into any kind of emotional whirlpool.

"I didn't think I'd ever see her again." Ash finally speaks once they're in her loft, and she's sitting on the sofa, her hands crossed over her knees.

"I know. Me neither." Derek says, walking over to her.

"You think my father's really.." Ash trails off, because she doesn't care, well, she _shouldn't_ care. She wishes to all hell that every inch of her could hate her father, but she can't, because her Mom taught her that family was forever. But no one expected family to do something so horrible to each other like her Dad did to her. "Never mind." She mutters, looking down at the floor.

"It's okay to wonder, Ash." Derek tells her, because he's been learning that a lot recently. He's learnt it's okay to wonder how life would be, or could be.

"I guess." She says.

He exhales through his nose and places his hand on her knee, squeezing gently, because he knows she still struggles every day with what happened with her father, she probably always will.

"You think I'll ever be able to get past what he did to me?" Ash asks Derek, keeping her eyes on the floor.

"I don't know, Ash." Derek says. "I really don't know. I'm sorry."

"It's okay." She says, looking up and looking at him now. "I love you, Derek. And as long as you don't ever hurt me, because I couldn't ever get past that, I think I'll be fine." She says and she's never sounded so vulnerable in her life.

"I would _never_ hurt you like that, I swear." He assures her. "I love you." He says, and there's absolutely no hesitance in his voice or anything. "I will always be here, whether it's to help you get past this thing with your Dad, or whether it's to be a Dad myself. I will _always_ be here." He tells her, looking her in the eye.

Ash nods, a small smile tugging at her lips, because she couldn't have picked a better person to marry and share her and her family's lives with than this man.

"Okay." She says.

"Okay?" He asks.

"Okay." She nods and leans in to kiss him.

..

 _Another month later_

At 32 weeks pregnant, a sharp pain in Jessie's back forces the girl to sit down on the sofa.

She rubs at her tired eyes, because the last couple weeks have been hell and she doesn't know why. She's been more than tired, constantly, and sleep because a chore to find. She hasn't felt too well either. Her doctor couldn't tell her much, just to keep up her fluid levels and to call her if anything serious happened.

"Are you sure you're okay, Jess?" Stiles asks her.

"Yeah.. It's just.. It's like a bad cramp." Jessie cringes, rubbing a hand over her _very_ large baby bump gently. "Simmer down, Blake." She says to her stomach. She's rewarded with another sharp pain but this time in her stomach, one that makes her clutch the sofa arm tightly.

"Jess.. You're scaring me." Stiles says, panic rising inside of him.

"I'm sure it's just Braxton Hicks." She tries to brush it off, but it's starting to hurt even more now.

"I think something's happening." Stiles says with a concerned frown.

"N-no, it can't. It's too early." Jessie shakes her head. She grits her teeth when a more painful feeling hits her. "Something.. Something's wrong." She says, she can just _feel_ it.

"Wrong? What do you mean _wrong_?" Stiles asks, sounding more and more worried now.

"Listen, I-I know we said we wouldn't but.. I need you to wake Ash and Derek up." Jessie tells him, because they were only supposed to be swinging by this morning to pick up some household appliances. Jessie said they wouldn't wake the two, but that's no longer an option. "I need Ash." Jessie says, because despite the girl having no children of her own, Ash is the one Jessie picked as her pregnancy coach. And Ash was flattered, and accepted, without giving it a second thought, because that's what _family_ does.

"Okay, just wait right here. I'll be right back." Stiles says, before racing over to the alpha's room because he doesn't want to leave Jessie alone for a second more than he has too.

He bangs on the door, calling out to them both.

The room door is ripped open, a _very_ mad Derek Hale scowling at the younger boy.

But before Derek can say anything, he notices the girl on the sofa, her face screwed up in pain. He moves past Stiles, going over to Jessie. Ash yanks her shirt on and follow him out, spotting Jessie as well.

"Hey, what's going on?" Derek asks her.

"You okay, Jess?" Ash asks her.

"I.. I don't know." Jessie says, staggering to her feet.

Derek catches her arm, frowning when he feels himself suck up some of her pain.

Then the part that justifies their panic comes.

" _Oh_." Derek steps back when the girl's water breaks.

"No, no, no." Jessie shakes her head with wide, disbelieved eyes, because she's only _8 months_ , she still needs one more.

None of them are prepared for this. Especially Stiles and Jessie.

"Oh, my God. What do we do?" Stiles asks, his voice coming out pitchy and frightened. "This shouldn't be happening."

"Well, it is happening." Ash says. "Derek, get your sister into Stiles' Jeep. Stiles, give me your keys." She instructs.

Both males look at her with shocked expressions, Jessie looking the same.

"This baby is coming _right now_. We need to move. Go." She says.

Derek lifts Jessie up into his arms like she was a 5 year old little girl again and he was carrying her to bed.

Stiles' shaky hands fumble but he manages to get the keys from his pocket and hand them to Ash.

Ash catches his whole hand, not just his keys.

"I know, this isn't supposed to happen." Ash says, looking him in the eye because it's more than obvious that he's scared. "But it is happening. And Jessie's gonna need you so you need to nut up, all right?"

"Yeah." Stiles nods, because Ash is right. "All right."

..

..

 **Baby is coming! A whole month early too :O Who should be in the delivery room with Jessie? What's going to happen? So many questions! Yes, I'm working on that new fic as much as I can, I will let you know when I'm closer to publishing it! Any ideas for it or things you'd want to see, let me know and I'll see what I can do! Favourite, follow and review!**


	65. The New Arrival

**I know, I know, very late update again! I'm sorry! Well, I can't imagine this fic has very long left at all, but I definitely want to do a future look too :)**

 **Shout out to:**

 ***Serena Sterling: No, Rafael isn't planning anything, it was surprisingly just a friendly visit because she had to resurface at some point, right? Thank and you're welcome :)**

 ***jayesh dms: Thanks, I'm glad you did :)**

 ***TheHungryRainbow: Hmm, me too!**

 **By the way, I know** ** _nothing_** **about giving birth, so bear with me!**

 **..**

"Oh, my God! I don't care which one of you it is, just one of you get the _hell_ in here and help me! Jesus Christ!" Jessie shouts, coming dangerously close to already breaking Stiles' hand as she clutches onto it.

"Hey, Derek. She needs you." Ash says to the man as she comes out of the delivery room herself, because she knows Scott won't go in there, maybe if it were Ash pushing a baby out he would, but not with Jessie, it's too personal for a friend no matter how close they are. But she needs some help with the pain, so she needs a wolf.

"But.." Derek stutters, because he doesn't think he's ready for this. His sister's not going to just be his baby sister or his kid sister anymore. She's going to be a goddamn _mother_.

"I know. But, c'mon." Ash says with a small smile, holding her hand out to him. She's Jessie's pregnancy coach, so she'll be in there with Stiles and the nurse too.

Derek steps forward but stops again, looking at Ash for guidance.

Ash nods encouragingly, keeping her hand out.

Derek takes a deep breath before he takes her hand.

Ash squeezes his hand and leads him into the delivery room.

And, _oh my, God_ it's crazy in here, there's so many different smells and sounds, it makes Derek's head spin.

Jessie holds her hand out to him, wiggling it as she makes aggressively impatient sounds.

Derek quickly pulls his sleeves down before taking her spare hand, as her other one's in both of Stiles' hands.

Stiles gives him a grateful smile as he begins to take some of her pain.

In fact, Derek's eyes widen a little because hell, it's hurting him too.

"Feels good, right?" Jessie asks him sarcastically.

Derek can only let out this little nervous chuckles that makes Stiles double-take, because he's never seen Derek nervous, he's never seen him this vulnerable. But Derek's never been in this situation before, obviously.

"You look like you might be as scared as I am." Stiles says, looking at the Alpha.

"I think I might be." Derek admits.

Ash looks at her fiancee, she can see he's scared, she can see he's worried, she can see he's having trouble seeing Jessie in pain like this too.

"Oh, Derek, it's gonna be-" Jessie starts to soothe. But when a particularly bad contraction hits her, she's unable to finish that sentence.

Now both Derek and Stiles are mortified, because it's more than obvious she's in a hell of a lot of pain and that this birthing process is _not_ going to be smooth sailing at all. Derek's trying to help, but he can only help so much.

"It's okay, guys. It's normal." Ash tells them, because she's been reading and researching for this _a lot_. Jessie came to her, gave her this job, gave her this _honor_ , and Ash is doing the best she can.

"Okay, okay." Jessie says, as the contraction levels out, the pain dying down a little, but she knows it'll be back. "I don't wanna do this anymore." Jessie shakes her head, looking at the nurse in the room, because she can't handle this.

"It's a little late for that, Jess." Stiles says with a small smile. But then his smile falls when the girl shoots him a murderous look. "Okay.. Not the time for jokes." He chuckles nervously this time.

"Not really." Jessie says. "No, really, I can't do this." She shakes her head, because it hurts too much. She's unsure if this amount of pain is normal for this sort of thing.

"Hey, you're fine, and you're doing this." Derek says, finally able to snap himself out of the shock of how real this all is.

A smile comes to Ash's face now as she sees Derek manning up.

Jessie looks at him with doubt, because she really doesn't think she can do this at all.

"Toughen up-" Derek starts.

"Asshole." Jessie says.

"Okay.. Maybe bad wording." The Alpha realises his mistake and backtracks and Jessie shoots him with a deadpan. "But you _can_ do this. You have too. Now, c'mon, do whatever it is you have to do, Hale." He says, and he sounds so much like Laura when she'd try to motivate them.

Then the nurse says something to Ash, pointing out Jessie's dilation.

"He's right, Jessie. You need to start pushing." Ash tells her.

"Oh, my God." Jessie starts to panic, but she feels that unmovable feeling, she feels like she _needs_ to push.

"Hey, hey. C'mon. You can do this." Stiles says, threading his fingers through hers and kissing the back of her hand. "C'mon, Jess."

The pack hear Jessie. It sounds.. Jesus, it sounds painful.

Scott paces the hallway, bitting at his thumbnail nervously.

"Is she okay?" Isaac asks.

"She's fine, Isaac. Childbirth is no walk in the park." Peter says, because he remembers how Tahlia even broke away from her usually tough exterior when she gave birth to Laura, and even when she had Derek too. By the time Jessie and Cora came around, it was easier, just a little.

But then a sound splits into the air, taking away all that worry.

And, _God_ , it's beautiful. _She_ is beautiful.

The crying baby is brought over to it's exhausted mother. But suddenly, Jessie doesn't care about being tired, or being in pain, because her baby girl is placed in her arms and there's this explosion of love in Jessie's chest that she can't even explain.

And when Jessie lays her daughter on her chest, her crying stops. Just like that.

"Oh, my God. She's beautiful." Stiles says, moving closer to his girlfriend and newborn baby.

Jessie looks at him with watery eyes.

He kisses her and then gently, so, so gently, touches his fingertips to the girl's face.

Jessie coes at her, pressing feather soft kisses to her daughter's head.

When they brought Jessie in, and Ash run the premature circumstances through with the nurse, they were told after the baby was born she'd need to spend some time in NICU. So, Jessie and Stiles both know they don't have long with her before she has to be taken away. But it's for her safety, so they're dealing with it, at least they're trying too.

Ash goes over to Derek, holding onto his arm and leaning her head on his shoulder.

He brings an arm around her waist and presses a kiss to her temple, because he knows this is something that both scares and fascinates Ash, because she wants a baby of her own too.

"You wanna hold hold her?" Jessie asks Stiles.

And suddenly he feels like he's lost his vocal chords. He just nods quickly.

Jessie sits up a little, and the exchange between the new mother and father is so delicate.

Stiles smiles proudly at the tiny bundle in his arms. He can't.. He just _can't_ believe this is really happening, this is really his daughter, his _beautiful_ daughter.

"Um.. We're gonna wait outside." Derek says, because neither he nor Ash want to intrude on this moment.

"No. Wait." Stiles says, making them stop. "Do you wanna hold your niece?" Stiles asks, looking at the older man.

Derek's never thought of Stiles being so adult until right now.

"Yeah." Derek nods.

The exchange is made again and both males can feel Jessie watching them closely.

Derek feels so.. He doesn't know how to describe it. The last time he held something so small was when Cora was born. Or when Jessie was born. And 19 years later, he's holding her baby girl, it's crazy.

They all see the Alpha's walls melt away as he looks down at his niece.

"Look at you." He says to her.

Two honey coloured eyes look up at him and Derek's rendered speechless because..because she's perfect.

"You should get the others." Jessie says, looking at Stiles.

"You sure?" He asks her.

"Yeah." Jessie nods. "We don't know how long they're gonna keep her here, I want them to meet her before she goes." Jessie says.

Stiles nods and leaves the room to get the rest of the pack.

"I'll be back, just press the buzzer." The nurse says, realising this is about to get personal, family-only.

"Thank you." Jessie says to her.

She leaves, and Stiles brings in the pack.

"Holy crap." Scott says with wide eyes, when he sees the little baby in Derek's arms.

Jessie looks at Ash and nods.

"As you know, she was premature." Ash says, addressing them all now. Something to do with the accident, with the blow Jessie took to the stomach complicated things, but the nurse says she's healthy, just premature. "She's going to have to spend some time in the hospital, in the NICU. We don't know how long." Ash says.

"So, use this time." Jessie says. "Because it could be weeks, maybe months."

Jessie ends up sitting up in bed properly, and they form a circle around her, passing the baby around carefully, each person getting to hold and meet her. Even little Jade, with Ash's help of course.

"She's so small." Jade says, more than fascinated by the baby.

"Yeah, she's newborn." Ash says, crouching down beside her sister, keeping her arms around the baby too, just in case. "Her name's Blake."

"Where did Blake come from?" Jade asks, looking at Ash.

Ash chuckles a little.

"That's a talk for another time, all right?" Ash says, brushing Jade's hair out of her face and behind her ear.

"Okay." Jade nods.

Ash takes the baby back and is about to give her back to Jessie, because she should be the last one to hold her before she goes.

"Hold on." Jessie says.

Ash pauses, holding onto Blake.

"Me and Stiles talked about it and uh.." Jessie says, and Stiles arm comes around her shoulders, because he knows where this is going. "We want you and Derek to be the Godparents. If anything happens to us, we want you two to take her." Jessie says.

Derek and Ash are both speechless, and everyone's smiling at them.

"Yeah." Derek nods.

"Yeah?" Ash asks him, double-checking.

"Yeah." Derek says again.

Ash smiles and looks at Jessie, nodding.

"Oh, God." Ash chuckles as tears well up in her eyes, because she really wasn't expecting that.

"We'll clear out, give you four a little more time." Scott says, because the parents, and Godparents, need extra time with her. The pack leave again, congratulating Stiles and Jessie with hugs and kisses on their way out.

Ash smiles at Derek, a tear slipping down her cheek.

Derek steps closer to her and wipes it away, bringing his arm around her waist, looking down at the baby now.

"Look at them." Scott says, because they can see Ash and Derek from outside too.

The pack all look at the Godparents, and they see that look in Ash's eyes.

Ash looks up at Derek again, and he looks at her. They lock eyes, and they both can't help but think back to that conversation they had. The one about having kids of their own some day.

"C'mon, back to Mommy. We'll come visit you." Ash says to Blake.

"Bye, Blake." Derek says, kissing her head gently.

Ash passes her back to Jessie.

"Thank you." Ash says.

"You deserved it." Jessie nods, because they did, both of them deserved the title as Godparents.

Derek and Ash leave the room, hand in hand. Ash begins walking back to the others but Derek stops, her hand in his causing her to stop too.

"Something wrong?" Ash asks, turning back to him.

"I'm ready." Derek says to her.

"What?" Ash asks, a little confused.

Derek looks down at his boots and then up at her again.

"I want a baby." He says and Ash's heart starts to race. "I wanna have a kid with you." He says.

"Me too." Ash says before she crashes into him, hugging him tightly. She leans her forehead against his, the both of them smiling.

"I love you." Derek says, with no hesitation whatsoever.

"I love you too." Ash says before she leans in and kisses him.

..

..

 **Hopefully all very cute! And Derek decided he does want a baby! Favourite, follow and review!**


	66. Difficulties

**One of the last chapters, readers! Maybe only 1 or 2 left after this, but I do have the other short-ish fic waiting in line for you :)**

 **Shout out to:**

 ***TheHungryRainbow: Hehe! Yay, I'm glad to hear that! :)**

 ***Serena Sterling: Yay, I'm glad it was worth the wait :) I hope this one is too!**

 ***Guest: Hmm.. Maybe.. :P**

 **My one-shot is up! Read more about that at the end notes!**

 **..**

 _Three Weeks Later_

Ash sits on the toilet seat, looking down at a pregnancy test for the seemingly millionth time.

She sighs heavily, tears stinging her eyes when the test reads negative. _Again_.

She pushes the bin lid up and throws it away with the other negative test from yesturday.

She sniffles and wipes her eyes before coming out of the bathroom and back into her bedroom.

Derek lays in her bed, on his side, almost dozing off because it's been a long day with helping Jessie and Stiles with baby furniture and shopping and going to see Blake in the NICU. At least she'll be out soon, that's good news.

When Ash sits down beside the wolf, he wakes up properly. He looks at her with hopeful eyes.

Ash gives him a small, sad smile and shakes her head. With every girl and their mother getting pregnant lately, Ash thought it would be easier, much easier than this at least. They're having sex at least once a day, for the past 3 weeks. She just didn't think it'd be like this. She stopped taking the pill 2 months ago anyway, they went to condoms instead for protection because Ash was far too caught up in everything to have the time to get another doctor's appointment and get more. So, it isn't that.

"It'll happen, Ash." Derek tells her as he rests his hand on her knee, because he knows how disappointed she is every time she gets a negative sign shoved in her face.

"Yeah, I'm sure it will." She says, looking down at her hands, because she isn't sure how much she believes that. She heard stories from her Mom, healthy woman can be incredibly fertile and get pregnant very easily, like Jessie did. Others, for some reason, it's hard to get pregnant, some it may even be impossible, Ash doesn't want to think about that though. Every woman is different.

Derek frowns, and he knows it's really taking a toll on the girl when she lays down over his lap and just curls up. He brushes his hand through her hair gently.

"You okay?" He asks her.

"Yeah." Ash nods, but she has to wipe her eyes again, because she's blaming herself, getting angry at herself, now.

As good as having a lot of sex feels, the constant negative test result is starting to take it's toll on them both, not just Ash either, because Derek feels like he's letting her down as well. They just thought it'd be easier than this, Jessie got pregnant so easily, in fact, it was a surprise. They just thought it'd be different.

"Maybe we should take a few days off." Derek suggests, looking down at her, but she won't look at him. "Give ourselves a little time before we keep trying."

"Yeah, I think that's a good idea." Ash nods, hoping maybe a break and giving their bodies a break will help them out next time they try.

"It's gonna work out, Ashlyn, I promise." Derek tells her.

Ash nods, looking up at him now. He says her real name every now and again, usually for emotional effect, like now, but Ash doesn't mind it as much as she used it, but Derek is still the only one allowed to say it.

"Let me cheer you up." He says.

"How?" Ash asks him.

Derek holds her by the thighs and flips her around to face him.

Ash looks at him in surprise, especially when the wolf leans close to her face.

"Lay down." He says, looking her in the eye.

Ash's eyebrows hit the ceiling when he hooks his fingers just under the waistband of her sleep shorts.

"I thought we were taking a break." She says.

"I am." Derek says. "But you're not." He says, a smirk coming to his face when her cheeks flush a _very_ deep red.

He knows she's blaming herself for all this, he knows she's blaming her body, her _hooha_. He wants to help with all of that, he wants to help her feel better about all of that. He wants to make her feel better, he wants to make her feel _good_. Not for himself, only for her.

"Are you okay with that?" He asks her.

"Uh.." But her throat's suddenly dry. "Y.." She just nods instead, giving up with words.

..

 _The Next Day_

The last couple weeks, Ash has been seeing her Aunt more often, now that things are slowly settling. Jessie and Stiles have been told the baby will be released to them in a week's time, once she's reaches 36 weeks and can safely be on her own. And they're _very_ excited. Everyone's been helping the new parents with picking up and putting together baby furniture, since they thought they'd have more time before the baby came.

"What's going on, sweetheart?" Hailey asks her niece, her hands wrapped around a hot mug of coffee.

"Nothing." Ash mumbles, her eyes watching Jade as she lays on her stomach in the living room, waving her feet in the air as she draws in a colouring book. She's upgraded to felt tips and coloured pencils from crayons in the last month, because her hands are getting more and more steady every day.

"C'mon, Ash." Hailey says, because she knows Ash, she knows the girl is lying and that something is obviously wrong. She's notices the girl's been a little..distant, maybe even a little sad, the last couple weeks.

Ash sighs and turns around to face her Aunt. These two have become closer and closer since Melissa's death. Hailey could never replace Ash's mother, _never_ , but she is there and she does want to help Ash where she can.

"Okay, um.. Derek and I have been trying to have a baby." Ash tells her. "But don't tell anyone." She adds quickly.

"Oh, my God." Hailey smiles widely, covering her mouth with her hands. She keeps her voice down, because Jade's a few metres away, and Scott and Jeff are just outside, fixing the front porch steps together. "That's wonderful news."

"Just.. Hold on." Ash says with a deflatted sigh.

Hailey's smile falls when she hears how drained her niece sounds.

"Honey, what's wrong?" She asks her.

"The key word: _trying_." Ash says. "It's been three weeks and.. I just.. I can't get pregnant."

"Ash, three weeks isn't long." Hailey says.

"No, I know. But.. With how we're going, I think it should have happened by now." Ash points out.

"Well.. How much sex are you having?"

"A lot. I mean.. _A lot_. At least once a day. Every night, sometimes twice. Wherever we're alone, whenever we go for drives-"

"Okay, let me just stop you there." Hailey says, because that's a little too much information. "Doesn't it.. You know.. Start to hurt?" She asks, because that is _a lot_.

"Oh, no.. He's gentle." Ash says, blushing a little as she looks down at her own mug of coffee. "Well, unless we want it to be.. Um.. Never mind." She chuckles nervously. "I just.. I thought it would have happened by now." She says, looking back up at her Aunt.

"Well, like your Mom used to say, sometimes these things take a little time, more than we're willing to wait." Hailey tells her.

"What if.." Ash exhales and brushes her hand through her hair, because she's becoming more and more nervous about this. "What if there's someone wrong with me?" She asks her Aunt, because it can't be Derek, the werewolf gene wipes clean anything. "What if I can't have babies? I mean, Mom said it took Grandma years and she had troubles too, she even lost a couple, what if.. What if it's me that's the problem?" She's starting to get flustered because she's getting scared.

"Oh, sweetie.." Hailey sighs softly, placing her hands over Ash's. "Ash, I'm sure everything's fine. You're healthy, there's nothing wrong with you." But Ash still looks worried and doubtful. "Listen.. if you're that worried about it, maybe you should go to the clinic, have some tests done, just to ease your mind." She says.

"Yeah." Ash nods, swallowing loudly. "Maybe that's a good idea."

..

No, that was not a good idea.

Not at all.

Because now Ash feels so much worse about herself.

"I've been looking for you." Derek says, walking over to her and kissing her head as she sits at her dining room table, a book open in front of her which she finds she can't make herself focus on, not with everything else running through her head.

"Yeah, I, uh.. I went out today." She tells him.

"Everything okay?" He asks, because she looks sad, as he sits down beside in a chair. "Ash?" He says, putting his hand over hers. "What's going on?"

"I.. I went to a clinic today." She tells him. "I have some fertility tests done."

"By yourself?" He asks, frowning. "Ash, I would have come with you-"

"Just listen." She stops him, her voice weak and mentally exhausted. "It's definitely not you, it's me. The nurse said that because I was on the contraceptive pill for so long that it may have messed me up a little." She says with a sad sigh.

"What does that mean?" Derek asks her. "Can you still.."

"I can." She nods. "But.. It's gonna be tough, Derek, I'm not gonna lie. It could take awhile." She tells him. "I'm really sorry, baby." She apologies because they've both to really want this.

"No, don't apologise." He shakes his head. "We can keep trying, if that's what you want, because I still want this. I mean, when has a struggle ever stopped us before?"

Ash smiles a little now, already feeling a little better now.

I want this, I really do." Ash tells him. "But.. By the time it happens, you may feel differently-"

"Ash, I won't. I promise." He assures her. "I don't care how many weeks it takes, or how many months. I want to have kids with you." Derek tells her.

"Derek.. It could take years. I could.. I could lose the baby, there's that risk too. My Mom lost two before I was born." Ash tells him.

Derek moves closer to her and takes her face into his hands, brushing his thumbs over her cheeks softly.

"It doesn't matter, I still want this." He tells her. "If you don't want to put yourself through that, I understand. But just know that I will be by your side for all the ugly shit, and I'll still be here, no matter what." He says.

Ash puts her hands over his, threading her fingers through his.

"I don't know what to do, Derek. I don't wanna disappoint you." She says, tears in her eyes. "I don't want you to become..sad."

"You couldn't disappoint me, Ash." He tells her. He rests his forehead against hers. "You tell me what you want to do, and I'll support it." He says.

Ash lets out a shaky breath and looks up to meet his eyes.

"Okay." She nods.

..

..

 **I know, cliffhanger! I'm sorry, I'm sorry, I couldn't help it! Remember, this fic is finishing _very_ soon! Favourite, follow and review!**

 **By the way, I posted my new one-shot! It's called 'The Unexpected', go check it out, favourite, follow and review! I might, _might_ , write a part 2 to it, but that's only if I have the inspiration and the time :)**


	67. New Beginnings

**Shout out to:**

 ***Serena Sterling: Yay! Thanks and you're welcome!**

 ***Jaycob11: Yay :)**

 **If you didn't see or read it, I put up a one-shot called 'The Unexpected' go check it out!**

 **This is looking like the last chapter folks, unless I get a sudden surge of inspiration of a future look or something! Anyway, enjoy and thank you all so much for the support, you make it worth while! I have a shortish TW fic in the works which is different to other things I've written and I will post on here and let you know when that is up and ready to read! I think you'll like it, it has a lot more history to it, and I've worked very hard on it!**

 **..**

 _Months later_

Many heads turn as Derek Hale walks through a daycare playground holding 4 year old Jade McCall's hand. And not just that, he holds a 6 month old Blake in his other arm too. The heads turn in surprise, because he's _Derek Hale_ walking around with two kids. Some are lustful eye of older woman, that follow the younger male like he's a piece of meat. Some are just nosy, wondering why someone like him would have children around him.

But honestly? Derek doesn't pay attention to any of them.

"Your daughter is adorable."

Jade and Derek both stop, turning around to face the woman who spoke as they walked by. Jade raises her eyebrows, something she's definitely picked up from Derek.

"Where's her Mom?" The woman asks as she looks Derek up and down. "And is the baby your's too? Mmm. There's nothing more attractive than a single Dad. You should watch out walking around here, these woman will eat you right up." She smiles slyly, twirling a piece of her hair with her finger.

Derek knows those weren't innocent questions, if the flirting didn't make that obvious. They were _nosy_ questions.

"Mommy's in heaven." Jade says. "Derek and Ash, my big sister, look after me now." Jade says before Derek can say anything.

"Oh. That's so kind of you." The woman says, looking at Derek again.

"And they're gonna get married so he doesn't wanna talk to you." And she definitely learnt that sass from Ash.

Derek looks at the little girl in surprise, but pride too. Derek smirks and he and Jade keep walking, because the woman is stunned with surprise.

"That was good." Derek says, looking at Jade. He holds his hand up and Jade smiles widely, high-fiving it with one of her smaller hands.

The two walk into her classroom, where there's other young kids and other parents, and the soft-spoken teacher.

"Morning." She says, walking over. "Hi, Jade. How are you this morning?" She asks the young girl.

"Good." Jade says. "But that lady was making goggly eyes at Derek." She frowns, pointing at the woman. "Only Ash is allowed to do that."

Derek clears his throat awkwardly.

"Oh, uh.." The teacher says, unsure how to answer that.

"It's okay, I dealed with her." Jade says proudly, crossing her arms over her chest like she's the Queen of everything. And in Derek's eyes, she might as well be.

Derek can't deny how Ash-like this girl is anyway, and the older McCall _is_ his Queen.

"Dealt, honey. You _dealt_ with her." Ms Mayers corrects her with an amused smile.

"Okay." Derek crouches down in front of Jade so he's her height, making sure Blake is still securely in his arms, the baby girl just looking around at everything, staying quiet and behaving well. "If you need help, just call out, okay? I'll come running." Derek tells her, like he tells her every time he takes his turns and drops her off at daycare.

"Okay." Jade nods.

"Have a good day, Princess." He says. Not a Queen, that's Ash, but Jade is his little Princess.

"Bye, Derek." Jade says. She leans in and kisses his cheek. "I love you, my hedgehog." She says, looking very amused now.

"Heh." Derek chuckles. "I love you too." He says.

"Bye, Blakey." Jade waves at the baby as she rushes over to a group of kids.

Derek stands back up, watching after her for a few moments.

"Hedgehog?" The teacher questions Jade's words, looking amused herself.

"Uh..yeah." Derek nods, not ashamed to admit he likes the nickname, only from Jade though. "I should go. I'll be back to pick her up."

"Okay, I'll see you then Mr Hale." She says.

Derek gives her a nod before walking out of the classroom.

"I should get you home, right? You're probably hungry." He says, looking down at Blake as he holds her in both his arms now.

She gurgles and reaches for his face, looking up at him.

"Okay, okay, relax. I'll get you home quick, kid." He tells her with a smile.

"Kids, right?"

He stops, hearing that voice again. He exhales through his nose before turning to the same woman from before.

"It's funny, she said you had a fiancee but you don't wear a ring." She points out, looking at his hands and then back up at his face again.

"I'm not really a ring-wearing guy." Derek deadpans, narrowing his eyes. "Besides, I don't need a ring. I know what being engaged means."

"Well.. Maybe you-" The woman tries.

"Sweetheart, it means if you bat your eyelashes at him _one more_ time, I'm gonna rip those cheap extensions out of your head and use them to tie you to the flagpole by your damn neck." A 4 month pregnant Ash, with a little baby bump interrupting her flat stomach, warns the woman. "Now beat it."

The woman quickly leaves, glancing back at the pregnant girl with worry, her high-heels only allowing her to move so fast.

Derek chuckles, turning around to face the girl he's in love with, the girl carrying _his_ baby, Blake spotting her too and making grabby hands towards her God-mother.

"Good morning, sleepyhead." He greets her.

She walks over to him and Blake, her combat boots scuffing along the concrete.

"Shut up." Ash says with a soft smile as she takes Blake from his arms.

"What are you doing here?" Derek asks her, throwing his arm around her shoulders as they walk towards the exit. "I said I'd take Jade so you and baby could sleep in." He reminds her.

"I don't know, I just wanted to check in." Ash says, making faces at Blake, making the baby girl giggle. "Luckily I did, because those cougars are all over you."

"No, it's okay. I had a mini guard dog." He says with a smirk. "Jade's picked a thing or two from you." He points out.

"Yeah, how to not take crap from anyone and how to protect what's yours." Ash says with an innocent smile.

Derek shakes his head with a small soft smile.

"We'll take your car, I'll come back for mine later." He says, opening Ash's car door for her, the passengers so he can drive while she minds Blake.

"See? This is why I love you." She says, kissing him quickly before getting into the car.

..

 _3 months later_

Derek lays with his head on Ash's chest, her _grown and still growing_ chest may he add, both of them on Derek's bed.

Derek traces his fingers over her large baby bump, looking at it like it's the only thing that matters, it's the same way Derek looks at Ash.

"You know what's crazy?" Derek asks her.

"What's that?" Ash asks, putting her hand over his on her stomach and threading their fingers together.

"He's not even born yet and I already want more." Derek admits.

"You really mean that?" Ash asks, turning her head and looking at him.

Derek turns his head and looks at her too.

"Yeah." Derek nods.

"Well.. Let me squeeze this boy out and have some time with him first, okay?"

"Yeah." Derek smiles, because now he knows Ash wants more too. "You think my boy's gonna have some wolf in him?" Derek asks her.

"With the way he keeps stabbing at my damn bladder, yeah, maybe." She nods with a little laugh.

Derek chuckles too, squeezing Ash's hand gently.

"But, really? I think he will, and I think he's gonna need a good Alpha. And a good teacher." She says.

"Well, that's what I'm here for." Derek says.

Ash smiles and leans over, kissing him.

"God, I can't wait to be Mrs Derek Hale." Ash grins before getting onto Derek, being mindful of her stomach.

"Neither can I." He grins back, taking her lips with his again.

..

..

 **Happy Dashlyn couple and they get their baby!**

 **Favourite! Follow! Review!**


	68. An Update!

**Hello, readers!**

 **Just a quick update for you :)**

 **Yes, I am definitely still working away at my new fic, and yes it will star my OCs Jessie Hale and Ashlyn McCall, and I even have a couple more up my sleeve!**

 **I've been thinking about doing a companion piece to this fic which is set in their younger days. This will make much more sense once you've started reading the fic!**

 **I hope to have the first chapter up in the next week, maybe the next two weeks even! I'm trying to be as quick as possible, but we all have our responsibilities!**

 **I will post on the information on this fic when it's done so you know it's up and how to find it and all of that carry on.**

 **I'm still drafting out some future looks for this fic too, because I'm not ready to give this fic up** ** _just_** **yet :)**

 **So, look forward to all of that, have a wonderful day, and you will hear from me soon!**

 **-IGotTheWanderingMind xo**


	69. Chapter 69

**Hey, readers!**

 **As promised, I am working on the new fic still, it's just taking longer than I thought! So, keep in mind that it's still definitely coming, it's just taking extra time!**

 **And thanks to all the readers that continue to support this fic and me, you will get your new story, I promise! And I have** ** _so_** **many twists for you as well! I'm really excited for this one!**

 **Hopefully we'll be in touch again soon, and I'll have the story for you asap!**

 **-IGotTheWanderingMind xo**


	70. Update!

**Hello, dear readers!**

 **Finally,** ** _finally_** **, I have something for you!**

 **I have a new fic, it's called 'Stray' and I've just uploaded it. It's quite different from anything I've done before but please, please, please do give the first chapter a read because I really loved writing it and I'd love to think you'd enjoy reading it too :)**

 **Thank you, and check it out!**

 **Love, IGotTheWanderingMind xo**


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